Betwixt the Devil and the Sea
by 6GunSally
Summary: It was seven months to New South Wales; what-pray tell-could have happened on such a long journey on so confined a ship. Rotating POVs. Unfortunately new Chapter raises the rating. o.O
1. A Parting

_**Disclaimer: Temeraire and all characters were Created by Naomi Novik. I'm just a fan, imitating.**_

_**This story is set at the end **__**Victory of Eagles**__** before the events of **__**Tongues of Serpents**__**; SPOILERS**_

**Chapter 1**

**A Parting**

Captain Catherine Harcourt glared at her husband where they sat in the officer's mess in the Aerial Corps campus near Dover Covert. Tom Riley was rubbing his face in frustration and Catherine found herself struggling to hold on to her anger as he stared back at her with his brows raised pleadingly and his face colored in emotion. He was wearing his Navy uniform, all blue and brass, and his hair was pulled into a queue but a few stray strands hovered around his face like a halo and she was reminded of their voyage to Africa and the young Captain that held her up in spite of the conventions that should have kept them at odds.

"I'm leaving today—at some point…" Riley said, "We're just waiting for the tide now. I really would have liked—"

"They are good people and they're used to handling these things. Admiral Roland entrusted them with Emily when she—"

"But I don't even know who—"

"What difference does it make, really?"

"Catherine, I just want what's best for him. My family—"

Harcourt patted his arm and he let out a sigh of resignation, "Everything will come out well, you'll be back before he's out of the cradle—"

"But we can't promise the same about the harness," Admiral Jane Roland said, having entered the establishment and presently come up to them. Riley and Harcourt both stood out of courtesy but she waved them to sit down. Riley looked very worried at her interjection and withdrew to stare at his hands. Harcourt saw that Emily was with her and also Tharkay and she smiled in greeting.

"Harcourt," Admiral Roland said, "You remember Mister Tharkay."

"Tharkay," Harcourt said in greeting, and Tharkay gave her a nod in response.

"Well then," Admiral Roland said dismissively, "You have your business and I have mine. Come along Emily."

Emily glanced at them and followed after her mother to a private table. Tharkay did not move from where he stood. He looked at Riley and met Harcourt with a raised eyebrow.

"Oh Tharkay," she said with only a cursory glance in Riley's direction, "Please have a seat."

Tharkay sat opposite of Riley making sure to keep an empty place between Harcourt and himself. Riley raised his head and glared at him. Tharkay smiled slightly and offered his hand and Riley only hesitated a moment before accepting it.

"Captain Tom Riley of the _Allegiance_," He said.

"I'm Tharkay," Tharkay replied, "As we've already established."

Harcourt laughed and Tharkay's smile widened to Riley's dismay.

"You seem in a fine mood today," She said and Riley set a scrutinizing gaze on Tharkay.

"I've just settled my accounts here," Tharkay said and he couldn't help glancing at Riley who seemed very suspicious of him, "Admiral Roland is very generous."

"She's always done her best for us when she could," Harcourt said, "Are you going to stay on with us?"

"No," Tharkay said, "I have no interest in the military."

"A shame," Harcourt said, "You were a pleasure to serve with."

"You are very kind," Tharkay said and Riley's brows knit.

"It's not flattery, you've done more than your share in this. You brought us the feral dragons; you found Laurence and brought him back when we needed him. Not to mention everything…" She trailed off at Tharkay's look of dismay; she did not want to embarrass the man. "You would have done well with the Corps." She said finally, without noticing as Tharkay did, the color rising in Riley's face.

"I have another commitment," Tharkay said, "I'm going to New South Wales as soon as I can find passage."

Harcourt smiled and glanced at Riley but Riley looked at him darkly, "The _Beatrice_ is scheduled to depart next month."

"Don't be silly, darling," Harcourt said, "The _Allegiance_ departs today."

"Today?" Tharkay said.

"The _Beatrice_ will likely arrive before us, provided there are no delays in her departure," Riley said, "I wouldn't want you to be rushed in your preparations before leaving England."

"No, actually I've been ready to leave for a while now," Tharkay smiled again, "I don't really have a reason to wait."

"Tharkay is an amazing fellow," Harcourt said, "You two should get along famously."

"I'm sure you can make other arrangements, Mister Tharkay," Riley said.

"Tom, " Harcourt said, and they looked at each other silently for several moments.

"My dear…" Riley started to say but found himself at a loss, "Perhaps you'd like to take a walk with me, darling?"

"Tom, what—?" Harcourt said but Tharkay stood then and put up his hands in resignation.

"No, I can see I've come upon you at an inopportune time. I shall leave," he said and turned abruptly and exited the establishment. Harcourt thought he looked amused and she was almost sad to have such a convenient distraction excuse himself from their arguments. She turned back to Riley to find him red faced and seething.

"Who is that?" Riley said with accusation permeating his words. Harcourt smiled innocently at him.

"That's just Tharkay," she said, "Really Tom do you think me so low that I would find interest in a wild man such as that? You've never been so jealous around dear Matthew."

"That's because Berkley is fat and slovenly and cannot compare to me!"

"You're so rude Tom," Harcourt said and laughed, "What about Warren or Chenery? Certainly you you're not jealous of them? Or John Granby? He's a handsome fellow and tall too. Taller than you."

"You're trying to make me crazy," Riley said his anger now cold and dissipated when he realized he was being silly.

"You're already quite mad Tom Riley," she said and crossed her arms, "What man of good holding would insist on marrying a dragon's captain, knowing full well that she would have greater commitments outside of his influence and that she worked constantly in a world crowded with other men."

"I really do love you," Riley said quietly and almost desperate.

"I know," Harcourt replied, "But perhaps our contentment lies in working within the limitations placed around us and not against them. I wish you would just trust me with the boy and not let it interfere with your job. Also, while you're off dragging those poor souls to the other side of the world, you might find it comforting to inure yourself to the company of aviators. These are my people and you will always be among them so long as you insist on remaining my husband."

Riley crossed his arms, "I've had the post aboard the _Allegiance _since before we ever met, so certainly I've met my fair share of aviators. Will Laurence is a close friend of mine."

Harcourt rolled her eyes, "Laurence is something else all together."

* * *

"Mister Tharkay!" Riley called as he jogged across the field of the covert to where Tharkay was standing with a small blue and white dragon. He looked away once to where Harcourt was striding along to see her dragon Lily.

Tharkay looked at him but did not move to approach him. Nor did he meet Riley's eye when he arrived, but focused instead where his hands were occupied in coiling a long leather strap. Riley startled and stepped back when the dragon turned her great head in his direction. She made a sharp chirping sound and then uttered something in the harsh words of a foreign language.

"Is it Mongolian?" Riley said still startled.

Tharkay smiled and answered the dragon before looking back and answering Riley, "Durzagh. It is a draconic language spoken in the Pamirs and some parts of the Karakorum. Her name is Gherni and she offers a salutation."

"Tell her hello back," Riley said finally relaxing enough to approach them. He watched Tharkay fit the coiled leather into his kit and stand before addressing him again. "Catherine tells me you are friends with Laurence?"

Tharkay only shrugged noncommittally in reply.

"I would be happy to offer you passage to New South Wales as my guest. I understand that it can be a great deal easier to suffer so long a trip when there are friends along with."

"That is very thoughtful of you," Tharkay said.

"Will you be ready to depart today?" Riley said.

"I'm ready," Tharkay said.

"Good then," Riley said, "We are still not sure if we are leaving today, but I wanted to have everyone embarked and secured. I'm just waiting on a couple of the aviators and the eggs."

"I will be delivering one of them," Tharkay said.

"Good," Riley said. He made no move to leave but stared at Tharkay's exotic face for several long moments until Tharkay's brow went up inquisitively. "Are you Indian or Chinese?"

Riley's face held an earnest expression with no sign of malice and Tharkay grinned broadly at him. "Which would be more agreeable to you?"

The color rushed into Riley's face and he looked away embarrassed, "No it isn't—I don't know if Laurence has told… I was only curious…"

"Well, my good man," Tharkay said, "I am as British as you are." Tharkay said something in Durzagh to Gherni and then hoisted his kit and walked away. Riley frowned after him.

"They all think I'm some kind of idiot," he said aloud to himself. Gherni chirped and cocked her head to the side and peered at him questioningly. Riley startled and stepped back from her, "Nice dragon," he coaxed before making his retreat.

* * *

He saw Tharkay again on the flight back to London. Harcourt had given him the tent again, though he had to admit, dragon back was not a terrible way to travel. Tharkay's dragon was much smaller than Lily and gray with a few garish splashes of red. The man was standing near the base of the dragon's neck with the wind pulling at the lowered hood of his strange oriental coat and the fur of his domed hat and Riley could not help thinking it strange that Laurence would count such a strange fellow his friend.

Harcourt seemed to be avoiding him after they landed in the covert. He couldn't help the feeling that things had not been properly settled. He did not relish the prospect of so long a journey with his care and worry turned home. At least he had been able to follow her while ashore. He waited alone in the lobby of one of the buildings set aside for the Aerial Corps administrative use. Harcourt had gone with Admiral Roland and no one had spoken to him, not even a proper good bye.

"Catherine," he said as soon as she appeared in the lobby again. Her eyes widened and she rushed to meet him tugging him by the sleeve toward the door.

"Tom! I thought you'd have gone!" She said in clipped exasperation, "Surely you will miss the tide if—"

"Catherine, I will be gone for more than a year," he said, "When I return my son will be walking and talking and I will be a stranger only lately come into his life—"

"Tom," she hissed at him as they exited the building, "We've already discussed this! Repeating it won't make it any easier to bear."

"Lily is not so large, surely she can help in the colony," he blurted petulantly and Harcourt put her hands to her temples in frustration.

"I need to stay here," she said.

"Come to the harbor with me," Riley pleaded, "Send me off, please."

"You're making this harder on yourself," she said and started walking toward the covert. She had moved only a few paces along when he grabbed her arm and pulled her back toward him hard enough that she fell against him. "Tom!" she protested.

"You're my wife, Catherine," he said, "I don't want to leave—"

Harcourt put her arms around his neck and kissed him silent. His arms slid around her waist and he opened his mouth into hers unconscious of the scandalized spectators in the street around them. Harcourt pulled away from him finally and pushed him forcefully back she wiped her mouth with her sleeve, but she was laughing.

"Go!" she said and waved out toward a hack stand on the other side of the street.

"I love you Catherine," Riley said and turned to leave.

"I love you Tom!" She shouted back, "But you've got to keep your head, dear! Have a safe journey!"

Riley jogged toward the street but turned back to her while in the middle of it to shout, "I'll write you every week. Though I can't know what the post will be like and I can't guarantee it will arrive so often. But—"

"Tom! Go!" Harcourt interrupted, "You'll be run over and then you'll really be late for your departure!"

Riley frowned as he turned and jogged toward the hack stand and climbed into the first carriage available. He watched her until she disappeared from his view.

He was late coming aboard and went directly to his cabin to brood, crossing the deck as quickly as he could and hoping no one noticed. But then they were bound to notice the Captain. He sighed heavily and stared out of his windows at the harbor skyline, a thickly jumbled mass of masts and rope at once menacing in their avaricious reach toward the gray sky and also comfortingly familiar. He nearly leapt from his chair when Purbeck knocked on his door and entered to tell him that the gangplank had been removed and that they were prepared to get underway.

Riley returned to the weather deck with barely concealed reluctance and gave the order to weigh anchor. He remained there until the sails had been unfurled and quietly left Purbeck to the task of navigating the large transport out of the harbor and into the channel. He was back in his room to watch the white cliffs fade into an ever-distant horizon as the _Allegiance_ headed into open water.

**

* * *

A/N:**

Thanks for reading!

Also, I want to apologize to anyone who is following; I have a very short attention span and I can only amuse myself by the momentum of constant change. LOL!

If you hadn't noticed, I am working on three stories at once—well, if you really must know, there are actually 5! It helps me when I get stuck to work on something else. I do plan on finishing them and all of them are outlined, so give me a chance.

This is going to be a shorty—less than 10 chapters, but probably more than five. I know this has been done before—you know the horribly vague 8-month journey to New South Wales—but I still haven't found one that I really liked. And there's so many questions left unanswered!

Having had the wonderful opportunity in life to be isolated for long periods of time with people that I knew on professional level and suddenly got intimate with out of necessity (not dirty kind of intimate—just a "OMG I never wanted to know that about you but now I do and can never unlearn that" kind of intimate), I'm hoping I can tap into that and make this story fun.

Sorry if you're expecting slash. I just don't have the ability to write it. (sure, I'll read it sometimes…)

POV will be shifting. Harcourt/Riley, Granby, Laurence, Temeraire, Iskierka, Emily… etc.


	2. An Impasse

_**Disclaimer: Temeraire and all characters were Created by Naomi Novik. I'm just a fan, imitating.**_

_**This story is set at the end **__**Victory of Eagles**__** before the events of **__**Tongues of Serpents**__**; SPOILERS**_

**Chapter 2**

**An Impasse**

When John Granby awoke it was late and he was sweating profusely from the heat of his dragon's protective embrace. He heard voices and movement around him and sat up abruptly, dismayed when he realized he was on the deck of a ship. He stood and struggled awkwardly out of the crook of Iskierka's arms where he'd apparently fallen asleep, the thick grimy feel of his mouth and his aching head told how he'd been helped along to it.

He stumbled first toward the stairs leading from the dragon deck only to encounter two very confused marines who seemed reluctant to let him pass. A quick glance over his shoulder told him Laurence and Emily were sitting on the dragon deck with Temeraire. Granby rubbed his eyes and blinked at the sentry against the over-bright late morning sun.

"The only criminal here is that firedrake," he said, his voice was gravelly and thick and all authority lost in its croak. The marines just stared at him.

"Let him pass," Granby looked up at the other voice and recognized Captain Riley standing further along the middle deck. He was standing at the railing with Tharkay who looked like he was trying to stop himself from laughing.

"Granby, are you well?" Laurence said from behind him and Granby turned to see him standing and Temeraire's great head turned in his direction.

"I am," Granby said, "I'm going now to speak with the Captain."

Granby didn't wait for a reply but pushed past the sentry and staggered down the stairs toward Riley. Riley only had a few terse greetings for him and led him toward the galley while Tharkay said nothing but followed along with much amusement.

"Why is Tharkay here?" Granby said as they moved into the darkness below deck.

"He is going to New South Wales," Riley said without looking at him.

"Well I know that—why is he here with us—right now?" Granby said.

Riley paused and looked at Granby and then Tharkay and then turned and started walking again, "He is my guest."

Granby glared back at Tharkay and received only a tight-lipped smile in response. They filed silently through the sparsely crowded galley and through a door that led to the empty wardroom. Riley closed the door behind them and then met Granby's stare.

"Lieutenant Purbeck has been kind enough to allow us the use of his wardroom," Riley said, though a glance at Tharkay told Granby that neither of them understood what that meant. "Why didn't you come to me when you arrived?"

"I don't," Granby started to say but changed his mind, "I was upset at my being brought here, and before I'd had the chance to notify you of my arrival, I—er…"

"He is to leave us in Gibraltar," Tharkay said.

"If Iskierka will let me," Granby said, "She is of a mind to stay until Temeraire has given her an egg—even if we must spend some months out in the Colony."

Granby looked utterly defeated, his shoulders slumped and his head drooped. With his red-rimmed and bloodshot eyes, he looked a complete mess. Granby startled when Riley placed a cup in front of him. He didn't have to touch it to know that it was rum.

"I shouldn't—you see what it's done me already," Granby said.

Tharkay pushed the cup nearer and smiled, "It's just a few hairs of the dog that bit you."

Granby frowned more deeply and made a grudging noise before downing the cup. Riley didn't wait for him to finish before he said, "I didn't plan for an extra dragon to come falling out of the sky onto my ship. You'll have to sleep on the deck, or you can share with Tharkay."

Granby looked at Tharkay and Tharkay shrugged indifferently.

"There really is nowhere to put you," Riley said, "Unless you'd rather share with the other aviators? But even the officers are doubled up as it is."

"Tharkay, you have your own cabin?" Granby said and Tharkay gave him an amused look in response.

"He is my guest," Riley repeated, "and none of them wanted to share with him."

Tharkay gave Granby a grim look, "Perhaps my feet stink?"

Granby laughed out loud.

* * *

Tharkay led Granby to the cabin after they'd taken their midday repast and Riley had left for his own duty and purpose. The cabin was not out of the ordinary and even somewhat cramped, but it was a welcome alternative to sleeping in the weather and smothered by Iskierka. There was a porthole at one end that let in the daylight and a small table pushed to the side and tied down. Tharkay pointed at a footlocker bolted into the floor.

"You may have use of that," he said, "I prefer to keep my things as I travel."

Granby made a face and took off his coat and tossed it onto the footlocker, "Iskierka left me no option for packing."

"I'm sorry," Tharkay said, realizing his mistake, and added, "I'm sure you might find something in Gibraltar—that is, if you plan to continue. Otherwise, you may have been wiser to pack light for your little excursion."

"I'm blessed by your good humor," Granby said sourly as he strung up his hammock opposite of Tharkay's.

"I can ask for some canvas perhaps, so that we can have our privacy," Tharkay offered.

"I'm well acquainted with your ugly face by now," Granby said and heaved himself into the hammock. Tharkay smiled at that and left Granby alone in the cabin. Left to his own thoughts Granby pulled at his hair in frustration. What would happen to him now that he has deprived England of a valuable weapon in the midst of this Great War?

The more he tried to rationalize it the more his sorrows multiplied and he found he craved the bottle once again to drown them. Granby lay like that for the better part of an hour before dozing off.

When he awoke the sun was streaming in low and golden in the late afternoon and Tharkay had returned. Granby sat up to look at what he was doing only to find him thoroughly engrossed in the composition of a number of correspondences. Tharkay couldn't be bothered to look at him and Granby dropped back into the hammock and listened to the small sounds he made, the scratching of the pen on paper and the rustle of clothing.

Tharkay folded up his letters after some time and cleared his throat loudly as he stood to put them away.

"You know, there are certain others that concern themselves with your welfare and perhaps you should not make yourself so scarce," he said. When he had secured his letters within his pack Tharkay left the cabin again without another word. Granby rubbed his face and lay there awhile longer before building up the courage to drop out of his hammock and face the world.

Granby made his way to the dragon deck to find Laurence was sitting and quietly reading a book at Temeraire's elbow while the dragon tutored Emily and Sipho in Chinese. Iskierka was sprawled sloppily over her half of the deck looking utterly bored but she lifted her head when he arrived, offering her muzzle for his touch and emitting a jet of steam from her nostrils.

"Oh there you are Granby," she said and Laurence looked up and nodded a greeting before returning to his book. "Temeraire said that you were angry with me and that's why you did not come up."

Granby smiled and rubbed her under her chin where the scales were fine and velvety to the touch and still, after all the time since he'd harnessed her, startlingly warm.

"You should not have done it," he said gently, "But there's nothing to do about it now, until we arrive in Gibraltar."

"I shall not leave until Temeraire has given me an egg," Iskierka said and Temeraire swung his head around to face her.

"You should not bother staying, as I will not be bothered to give you an egg," he said.

Granby looked at Laurence and the man stared back with a look of long suffering. He'd probably been listening to these arguments all day. Granby offered him a thin-lipped smile of surrender. Laurence closed his book and produced a chair from around the other side of Temeraire and bid him come over.

Granby sat down but didn't know what to say. Laurence leaned forward and rested his elbow on his lap and gazed past Iskierka toward the sea fading into the blackening night.

"One can only do one's best nothing more," he said almost cryptically and Granby's brow rose inquiringly. "It's only that, it's easy to feel guilty over what they decide to do and others forget that they are not horses or dogs to be ordered about."

"Now, I know you don't subscribe so easily to that," Granby said.

"I'm trying," Laurence said, "One needs must accept the fate he's given; and I can either go to it willingly or unwillingly, but it will not change because of it. Anything can happen out there in the Colony."

Granby only sighed and gazed out over the mostly empty middle deck below them. "Laurence what will become of me? That every time she takes a fancy she'll carry me away?"

Laurence looked at him and frowned thoughtfully but Granby had his eyes trained on the deck. "I really can't say," he said after a pause, "Maybe you just have to be stronger willed than her—but then, I don't believe it's really so simple."

"No, it's not. It's happened a few times already, when I think I've got her under control and willing to listen, and then something like this happens. I've considered even—Wellesley said I should cut her loose—but I… Well, she's a good girl and very devoted to me. I don't exactly keep her chained up. If I should ask her to go she'd only decide it was an order she didn't like."

Laurence offered a sympathetic smile and sat up in his seat, "We need a distraction."

"I should like a drink," Granby said.

"Well perhaps," Laurence said but he stood and rolled one of the day's empty water casks over and stood it between them as a crude table. He walked away for a few minutes and returned with a bottle and a beaten tin cup. Laurence slapped a deck of playing cards on the surface of the makeshift table and sat down. Granby looked at the cards in open dismay.

"Laurence, I don't have a head for it tonight," he said.

Laurence proceeded to remove the extra cards from the deck and shuffle the remaining cards. "I implore you Granby," he said with a slight smile, "Emily is quite good and I haven't won a hand all day."

"What are we playing?" Granby asked as he accepted the cards Laurence dealt him with resignation.

"Piquet," Laurence said, "you have played before?"

"Yes," Granby said while he sorted through his cards.

* * *

They were anchored near the Port of Gibraltar several days later and Granby was standing on the dragon deck observing the Captain's gig ride into the harbor with Riley and a few others of his officers. His mouth was set in frustration and Iskierka was curled as tightly and unhappily as her size would allow, having just been thoroughly reprimanded by himself for not wanting to go ashore and join the covert there until such time that another transport could return them to England.

Tharkay appeared at his shoulder presently and Granby shot him a sidelong glance of displeasure. Though they shared a cabin he had seen little of the man in the last several days and Granby felt that he had perhaps some sinister motive for journeying along with them and sneaking about.

"Are you going ashore?" Tharkay said with a surprisingly convivial air and Granby's brows knit to observe it, thinking that it seemed counterfeit and probably part of some scheme. When Granby did not answer, Tharkay said "I gather the dragon does not wish to return to England so soon?"

"No," Granby said readily willing to vent his frustration in spite of the audience, "She argued all morning with me and now she is taken to pouting—or I imagine that is how it is when a dragon pouts. I've never witnessed such behavior in a dragon before."

Granby turned to look at Tharkay, but the man had moved toward Iskierka and was saying something softly to her in a language he didn't easily recognize. Iskierka responded in spite of her melancholy and to Granby's relief, she lifted her head and relaxed her coils. Granby moved closer to join them, his anger suddenly dissipated, in his eagerness to see her in good spirit.

"Iskierka," he said.

"Oh Granby," she said, "I don't like to make you angry. But don't you see how important it is that I get an egg from Temeraire? It is all for your sake, too. Surely they will think you the finest captain should you bring home an egg like that?"

"But we cannot just go off when we please, Iskierka. We have out duty and our orders—we may be seen as deserters. This is a very serious offense. I may be court martialed and they'll hang me, then what?"

"If they hurt you in any way I shall set the whole of Britain ablaze and cause her to sink into the sea!" Iskierka said indignantly.

"Ha!" Temeraire interjected, "Britain is not a ship to be sunk. You are being silly."

"Perhaps, if you disembark now your sentence to can be argued down to transportation. Then you should have all the time in the world to make eggs," Tharkay added with barely concealed mischief. Granby's face colored.

"We have not been sentenced to any punishment as of yet," he said, "But I'm quite certain there is word from Admiral Roland awaiting us in Gibraltar. And Riley has asked me to purchase a few head of cattle, as he hadn't expected to be feeding two dragons. If you are set on continuing to New South Wales I am forced to provide for you. Though this transport is full to the seams with prisoners and cattle already."

"I take it Laurence will not be given liberty in this port?" Tharkay said in an aside to Granby.

"Don't be daft man! He is a prisoner on this ship!" Granby said.

"Then may I accompany you in your errands in the town?" Tharkay asked.

Granby glared at him for a few moments, though he had already expected Tharkay to join him, he was more surprised that he had asked for permission.

"I don't know," Granby said, "You may spoil my good image."

"Someone so low can only be lifted up," Tharkay said.

"I shall suffer your company in Gibraltar then," Granby said, and then louder so Iskierka could hear him, "We are going now, love. Please behave yourself and don't give Laurence any grief."

* * *

_**A/N: Thanks for reading!**_

_I really enjoy writing Granby, especially when he's dealing with Iskierka... Next up, Emily I think!_


	3. A Scandal

_**Disclaimer: Temeraire and all characters were Created by Naomi Novik. I'm just a fan, imitating.**_

_**This story is set at the end **__**Victory of Eagles**__** before the events of **__**Tongues of Serpents**__**; SPOILERS**_

**Chapter 3**

**A Scandal**

Emily glared at the cabin door, dreadfully sure that she would not survive to suffer herself the certain ridicule she would face should she leave the room. She rarely wore dresses, as they were not very convenient for her line of work, but that is not to say that she never wore them, or that she in any way abhorred the practice of wearing them. In fact Emily was particularly fond of dresses—much to her mother's dismay—and wore them regularly and with much happiness until that fateful date, in the seventh year of her young life, when she was introduced as a cadet in the castle of Loch Laggan.

Oh she had tried her hardest at that tender young age to preserve her habits, she could put on a dress herself when there was liberty to be had and her hair held its curl if she slept carefully and did not wash it. Of course this fit of determination quickly lost its luster and by her second week at Loch Laggan she'd had her hair cropped simply and very short and wore the short trousers of the other cadets in training.

She was not afraid of filth or mud or blood and she had been hardened to the horrors of battle, the pain of privation, imprisonment by savage tribes—and all before the ripe old age of thirteen. But surely, she couldn't let anyone see her in this!

There was a tapping at the door before Annie Blincoln let herself in. Emily glared up at her disdainfully as she bounced in all smiles and dimples. Laurence had been delighted to find that one of the aviators accompanying them was in fact married and would be bringing his young wife along with him to the colony. What Laurence couldn't have known was that Blincoln—not really a shining example to begin with—had taken a wife from among the dregs of the village, those low and backward denizens that clung like barnacles to the belly of Loch Laggan. Annie was simple to a fault and only five or six years older than Emily, though Captain Blincoln was at least the same span older than Laurence.

Emily might have been gracious and understanding toward the woman if only she wasn't so maddeningly oppressive, treating her like a child that has never seen the world but the for the garden at the front of the house. Emily waited until Annie had returned from her side of the sheet they had hung up in the cabin for privacy and in full view of the hapless woman Emily took hold of the hem and pulled the cursed thing up over her head. Annie's hands flew to her face in shock and Emily looked over her bare shoulder at her.

"I think I would rather go like this than wear such a horrid and ugly thing!" Emily said.

"Emily!" Annie said, "You are a young lady!"

Emily turned and retrieved her shirt and breeches from where she had left them sitting on a chair and started to dress herself.

"I am also an officer in the Corps, and the Corps has a presence in Gibraltar," Emily said with a glance at Annie Blincoln's reddening face, "I will do well in my uniform. Hopefully I will be able to find something nice in Gibraltar and not have to live in mortal fear that I may one day have no other choice but to don this garment here before me."

"Mister Laurence said you'd better wear a dress," Annie said placing her chubby fists on her hips.

"He said no such thing," Emily replied as she tugged at her stockings and then her boots, "Only that it would be preferable. Now, Annie, if you'll excuse me I must present myself to him before making my departure."

Despite his avoidance of remarks on her choice to go out into an unknown town in coat and breeches, Emily felt rebuked by the sweep of his pale blue eyes. He had only given her a glance, icy and cold, and focused instead on his lap where the book he was reading to Temeraire lay closed. He always talked to her with a father's concern and she accepted—at first because he was her captain, and lately because she didn't mind.

"And Emily," he said with a glance toward the railing and the sea beyond, "I would be less worried if you stayed with Captain Granby. He's only just gone, so you'll still be able to catch—"

"I don't need an escort! I will be with Demane and Allen—"

"Emily, boys have a habit of getting into mischief, I will feel more secure knowing that you were to be escorted by an adult."

"Granby has a habit of getting into mischief," Emily mumbled under her breath.

"What?" Laurence said and his brows, darker than the hair at the top of his head, knit solemnly in reproach.

"Very well Sir," Emily said, "I shall stay with Captain Granby. I will see you tonight. Good day, Mr. Laurence."

"Good day, Emily."

When she left the dragon deck for the launch Granby was already sitting in the boat with Tharkay and Demane and Allen were also inside along with a few of the younger aviators she didn't recognize and a sailor or two that had missed the earlier launch.

Demane held out his hand for her and helped her aboard and after one or two more late passengers the craft was lowered into the emerald waters of the harbor.

Emily kept an eye toward Granby who had his head down and was speaking very privately with Tharkay. He never made any move to acknowledge her. Emily hoped that maybe Laurence hadn't said anything to him.

The small craft lurched violently as it was put to the water and Emily in a moment of involuntary panic took up Demane's arm with one hand and the side of the craft in the other. Allen shot her a look full of dark laughter and she glared back at him hatefully. Demane grew tense were she held him and she immediately let him go.

The seamen at the oars and a few of the aviators that were helping made quick work of the distance into the harbor and when they tied up and climbed onto the pier Emily was conscious of a sudden trill of excitement as the port town bustled enticingly before them.

She started walking after Allen and Demane when she felt a big hand clap over her shoulder. She knew immediately that it was Granby and turned to look at him while trying her best to hide her disappointment.

"I have very many errands to conduct here," Granby said with an insidious air of superiority, "and I can't be bothered holding your hand as Laurence seems to think I should."

"I can take care of myself," Emily said and she glanced over at Tharkay who stood back with his arms crossed but he only returned a passing curiosity. Granby gave her shoulder a squeeze with the affection of a big brother.

"Good," he said, "stay out of trouble and I'll see you here this afternoon."

"Right," Emily said and then bolted to catch up Demane and Allen, she turned once to wave at Granby but he and Tharkay had departed in the other direction.

Demane smiled when she caught them up, breathing heavily from her run, and she felt her cheeks warm a little—though that too might have been from her run.

Allen was talking to Demane about women he'd had at other port calls, though Emily was sure he was too clumsy and too shy to have made so many conquests; not to mention the fact that there hadn't been so many ports of call as they were not usually sailing.

"Demane," she said sweetly, knowing that it would much more easily lure him to her cause, "I wanted to buy a new dress while I was here."

"A dress?" Demane said, "What?"

"Something nice," Emily implored, "there may be functions or fêtes wherein I may be obliged as the only female representative of the corps in New South Wales to show myself for a lady."

Demane looked at her not comprehending, "What is a fête?"

"A party or a ball," Emily said.

"You needn't bother," Allen interjected derisively, "There won't be any balls in New South Wales—except for the ones on the convicts!" Allen laughed, "No one can tell you're a girl anyway. Come on Demane, there's a pub over there."

"Why are you wasting your time doing that when you can drink on the ship!" Emily said, "Come on Demane, I'm sure we can find something nice for Sipho."

"I don't want to sit inside," Demane said, "I will go with Emily and we can meet you later."

"Oh, you two are a couple of stupid kids!" Allen said before leaving them for the crowd at the pub. Emily glared after him for a moment before grabbing Demane by the elbow and leading him toward the merchant stalls along the quay.

The market stalls were not so grand or varied as she had hoped; Gibraltar was, after all, a garrison town, but she and Demane braved the press of the crowds stopping to look at anything that caught their eye. Demane succumbed easily to the excitement of the market poking at strange fruits or exclaiming at seeing familiar ones from Africa. He stopped and ogled strings of thin gold or baubles and at displays of swords and pistols. All the while Emily felt her dissatisfaction growing. There was only one cloth merchant, but his bolts of cloth had signs of moth and water damage.

"Sometimes I wish he would just use salt," Emily looked up at the sound of Granby's voice. He was standing at a spice seller's booth while Tharkay was perusing the merchant's wares.

"Come on," Emily said, and she took Demane by the arm and led him along a small dark street that took them away from the quay. She urged him on until even the noise of the dockside market had faded. Seeing they were lost, Demane grabbed her hand and took the lead, turning them onto a more open street with a few people and sunlight glinting off of it's cobbles.

They could see the garrison from that vantage and the Moorish castle on the Rock and Demane gazed up at it with great interest. Emily felt the stark square tower looked foreboding and strange. Demane tugged at her arm and pointed at the small figure of a dragon flying high and graceful above the point of the rock. The proportions told Emily's trained eye that it was a Longwing. They watched the dragon swoop and wheel above the harbor and the town before returning to the hidden covert.

"She is like your dragon," Demane said.

"He," Emily corrected, "That must be Mortiferus, mum said he was going to be here."

"If we climb on that rock we might be able to see into Africa," Demane said, "That is what Laurence told my brother. Perhaps we can—"

"Oh no," Emily said, "I think it is much father than it looks, and we don't have very much time for climbing up there. I think too, that if you were to look toward Africa, you would not see any part that you could recognize."

"Do you think we will stop in Africa later on?"

"Demane," Emily frowned, "Don't you remember what happened the last time we were there?"

"It was a long time ago," Demane said, "Things must be better by now."

"It really hasn't been that long," Emily said and let out a sigh, "Come on, I want to find a dress and we don't have much time left."

They turned so that they were facing the harbor and wandered along a parallel street toward the quay.

"If there's going to be a garment seller, he's bound to be near there," Emily explained to Demane.

"Emily," Demane said cautiously, "What is it exactly that you are looking for?"

"A dress," Emily said and motioned with her hands the shape of a skirt, "I suppose you didn't see very much of that while you were in England." She added when the confusion did not fade from his expression. "Do you remember Mrs. Erasmus? She wore a dress."

Demane's furrowed with a sudden realization, "You want to wear something like Mrs. Erasmus?"

"Not exactly," Emily said, "I hope I can find one that is much nicer."

"But it would be silly to wear a dress when you are on dragon back," Demane said.

"I wouldn't wear it for that."

"It is for your fête then, right?"

"Exactly," Emily said, "I wouldn't want to be a bore at a ball or a fete, especially in front of Laurence or any body. I should want to look pretty."

"Oh," Demane said casually, "But you don't need a dress to look pretty."

Emily turned from him to hide the color that rose to her ears and cheeks, but she wasn't sure if it was because of the compliment or that he'd dared to say so at all.

"Come along Demane," she said with forced disdain.

The street they'd found was more crowded than the one they'd escaped down and they were close enough now that some of the noise and the smells from the harbor met them. Presently they came upon a man standing outside of a building leaning against a wall. He was reading a page from a letter that looked as if it has just been opened.

"Hello!" Demane said cheerily and the man straightened up and looked at them with open annoyance. Emily cursed their luck at having once again found Tharkay.

"Good day," Tharkay said while he folded his letter and hid it in the folds of his oriental coat.

"Is it a garment shop?" Emily said and met his dark eyes directly. Tharkay shot a suspicious glance over her head in the direction from whence they'd come.

"Yes," he said but volunteered no other information.

"I'm looking for a dress," Emily said.

"How nice," Tharkay replied with a wooden inflection, "But you would be very disappointed to know that this shop only makes items for men."

"Oh," Emily said, "Did you perchance see—"

"No," Tharkay said curtly and crossed his arms. He leaned back against the wall and shot them a 'run-along-now-children-I-haven't-the-time' look.

"Oh," Emily said as she started walking.

"Goodbye!" Demane said and Emily glanced at him and made a disgruntled noise. Demane looked at her curiously, "He is a good strong man," he said in explanation.

"I think he is curious at best and crooked most other times," Emily said haughtily as she quickened her pace along the street. Really, she had no quarrel with Tharkay, but she had been startled at running into him and upset at his behavior toward her.

There were only two other clothier's on that street and only one catered to women at all, and he only had one dress and it was made for an older woman. He was immensely kind to them, assuming that Emily was looking to buy a gown for her mother. When he realized she was a girl his face clouded in indignity and he roared at them to leave.

Even now, as they ran to the corner, Emily could see him standing in the street and waving his arms quite emphatically. Emily and Demane sat on the steps of the first shop out of his view huffing and panting. Demane looked at her in disappointment.

"Maybe you should give up on this dress," he said, "I saw some nice things in the market near the water. I wanted to get something nice for Sipho."

Emily frowned petulantly and turned to look at the shop they were sitting at.

"It is getting late," Demane said, "We should eat too before we go back to the transport."

"Are you in such a hurry to go back to that smelly old boat?" She said with much derision, a fraction of which would have made Demane rise in anger if it were any of the other aviators. He frowned but let Emily have her way.

"This is a book seller," Emily said hoping to cheer him up, "You could find something for Sipho there."

"Why?" Demane said still a little upset.

"Sipho likes to read," Emily said, "and at least I can find something new for Laurence to read to Temeraire. He should think it very nice."

"I don't think I like that Sipho reads," Demane said but he let her take his arm and lead him into the shop. A bell on the door clanged as the door closed behind them and the proprietor of the shop pulled down his spectacles to glare at them from where he was standing with an older gentleman and a young man that was probably his son.

Demane paused and regarded him nervously but Emily dragged him away by the collar out of the man's view behind a shelf of books.

"I don't think he wants us here," Demane said.

"Nonsense," Emily replied, "We have money like any other."

Emily turned to study the dusty bindings on the shelf, "These are all boring. Navigation, trade winds—"

Emily startled when Demane stiffened and then stood on his toes to look over her head. Emily followed his gaze to the door where a very familiar arm in a bottle green sleeve entered in carrying a thin paper wrapped parcel and attached to its shoulder was Granby with his head turned toward the outside. Emily grabbed Demane and pulled him further into the shop. To further complicate matters, the proprietor had managed to loose himself from the attentions of his other customers and was actively searching for them.

"Excuse me," Emily heard Granby say, "I was looking for something in particular."

"Yes," The man replied impatiently, having to abandon his pursuit, "What is it?"

"Do you," Granby paused and even from her vantage at the back of the shop behind a shelf of books, Emily could see he had blushed quite red, "Er… I was wondering if you stocked any romances?"

"Romances?" The bookseller said, "Poetry? Plays? What is it that you are looking for?"

Emily's eyes grew very wide and she had to cover her mouth to stop from laughing out loud. Demane leaned closer to her and whispered loudly into her ear.

"What is it? Why is it funny?"

"Oh," Emily replied, fighting the urge to giggle, "Captain Granby has come looking for love stories with Tharkay."

Demane furrowed his brow in confusion.

"Do you suppose they are in love?" Emily said.

"But they are both men," Demane said which of course inferred that he believed it was in no way possible.

Tharkay, who standing a ways back from Granby and the bookseller, turned and glared in their direction. Emily stiffened in cold fear and she felt Demane also grow tense.

"Do you think he can hear us?" Emily said.

"Perhaps," Demane said, "Allen says he can do magic."

"We must leave here Demane," Emily said. She stood and started to move toward the corner where the shelf ended and they would have a clear run for the door, "Before he has a chance to put a curse on us."

As they moved, Tharkay's gaze did not follow, and Emily felt some measure of relief at that. As soon as the door was in view, the two of them bolted. Two things happened at once; the bookseller gave a shout and the other customer, the young man, was standing at the door to stop Emily; and Demane was held up by Tharkay, who had caught him by the back of his coat. Demane struggled half-heartedly against the grip that held him and Emily glared at the young man for interfering.

"What do you mean by stomping around and hiding in my store!" the bookseller shouted. Granby met Emily's gaze with wide-eyed confusion. Emily smiled back at him and shrugged.

* * *

**A/N: Thanks for reading!**

1. They said they were stopping in Gibraltar.

2. Emily and Demane seemed to have become quite good friends in ToS.

3. Tharkay must be pretty scary to a twelve year old.


	4. A Revelation

_**Disclaimer: Temeraire and all characters were Created by Naomi Novik. I'm just a fan, imitating.**_

_**This story is set at the end Victory of Eagles before the events of Tongues of Serpents; SPOILERS**_

**Chapter 4**

**A Revelation**

Temeraire watched the dolphins frolicking in the transport's wake with only casual interest. He lifted his head and swept his gaze over the deck but there was still no sign of Laurence. The pair of Marines standing sentry were sitting on the stairs laughing over coffee, having just taken up their posts and still giddy from some shared entertainment from the night before.

Iskierka had gone on an early morning flight, her captain being at liberty to do so, and Temeraire in an act of jealousy had stretched himself to cover her side of the dragon deck. A few of the younger aviators were taking advantage of Iskierka's absence by playing a game on deck with a sandbag in lieu of a ball. Laurence had banned ball games on deck after Allen's near miss.

Temeraire still had his head over the railing when Iskierka returned, giving no care to the complaints of the sailors as she landed heavily and caused the ship to list dangerously. He turned his head up at her and glared at her.

"How many times do I have to tell you, Iskierka, you cannot drop yourself so onto the ship. You might cause her to sink."

"Stuff," Iskierka said, "Move your tail; it is all over my side of the deck."

"Enough you two," Granby scolded dropping down wearily from Iskierka's back. He moved to lean against the railing and rubbed his face wearily. He didn't bother to remove his harness. Iskierka pushed toward him with her head.

"Granby, are you ill?" She said, a note of panic in her voice. "I suppose I had been flying for a long time. You should not stay up so late as you do."

"I'm well, dear," Granby said. He took a moment to fumble with the harness still buckled on. "But you're right," he said apologetically, "I've been keeping late hours, and last night was particularly late. I am sorry."

Iskierka continued to fuss over Granby and Temeraire, relieved, asked, "Does this mean you are too tired to read to us this morning?"

Granby looked up at Temeraire wearily, a positive confirmation waiting on his lips. But Iskierka answered before he could. "Oh, Granby will continue the story. His story is much more interesting than what Laurence and Sipho are reading."

Temeraire put down his ruff, but refusing to enter into the same vacillating argument they'd been having for the last several days, he said nothing. Granby had been reading to them from a book of plays by a man called Shakespeare. It might have been interesting if Granby didn't stumble so over the words. His halting unconfident reading had no rhythm and that made this particular book painfully incomprehensible.

"Erm… well," Granby started to protest, "I seem to have forgotten the book—"

Iskierka sent one of the runners down to get it; much to Temeraire's dismay. Granby pulled off his coat and loosened his neckcloth. He climbed back onto Iskierka's back and lay down awaiting the book.

Temeraire put his back to them and hung his head sulkily, surreptitiously searching for Laurence. Though, aside from the marine sentry and the sailors attending duties on deck, there were no other people about.

"Temeraire," Granby said, and both dragons lifted their heads to look at him—though Iskierka was a bit put off as Granby was leaning rather high on her withers and she couldn't turn her head so far around and then down also. "Temeraire, why do you sulk so today? Laurence is at breakfast with the Captain and that is why he is late. He did tell you, I'm sure."

"Yes, he did," Temeraire said with a sigh, "And also I don't want to listen to your book."

"Why ever not?" Granby said sitting up, his tone rather defensive. Iskierka swung her head toward Temeraire.

"Granby is here at least and he will read to me, and if you don't like it you may leave," she said.

"But I am waiting for Laurence," Temeraire said, "Besides you came on board uninvited so you are the one who should leave."

"Here now! Don't start bickering again!" Granby said, "We still have a painfully long way to go and like as not rather close quarters when we get there. If you won't be friends, at least keep the peace."

"I am not arguing with anybody," Temeraire said, lifting his head, "I wouldn't want the eggs to be frightened. And also, I fear that book that you're reading to Iskierka might confuse them."

"Confuse them—?" Granby started.

"You'll confuse them!" Iskierka shot back at Temeraire, drowning out Granby.

"Iskierka," Temeraire said coolly, "Do you even know what this book is about?"

"Of course I do!" Iskierka returned.

"Well," Temeraire said, "Explain."

There was a long pause, as Iskierka looked decidedly at a loss and Granby's sunburned face reddened all the more. Temeraire turned to look at her directly, his ruff rising as if to gloat. Iskierka's gold eyes narrowed defiantly.

"There's a fellow called Romero and he is in love with a girl called Rosie. And Romero has a friend called Merkooto and Merkooto said they should go to a ball and then Romero saw Julia and now he likes her instead. And that's where we were at."

Temeraire blinked, "Well all right," he conceded.

"And we're about to get to the best part—" Granby began, but he was greeted by the arrival of a panting and empty handed Sipho. Sipho went and stood in the circle of Temeraire's forelegs and pointed. Tharkay was coming up the stairs to the dragon deck looking angry—maybe? It was so hard to tell.

Tharkay stood before Temeraire and nodded a greeting. "Temeraire," he said, "Have you seen Granby?"

"I'm up here," Granby said, peering down from Iskierka's back, "What do you need?"

"I have your book," Tharkay said holding the tome up so that Granby could reach it, "But I would ask if you would—in the future—remind whomever you send to the cabin to give a warning before barging in."

Granby just stared at him, "What were you doing that you're so put out?"

Tharkay returned his stare but didn't reply.

"Sipho what was Tharkay doing when you went into our cabin," Granby asked the boy and Tharkay's brows knit just a little. Sipho just shook his head mutely and pushed in closer to Temeraire.

"_Will you tell me?_" Temeraire asked the boy in Chinese.

"_I was only writing a letter_," Tharkay replied in kind to Temeraire, and Sipho nodded emphatically in agreement.

"What did you say?" Granby said leaning perilously closer.

"_Don't tell Granby_," Tharkay continued, addressing Sipho and Temeraire in Chinese.

"_Do you think that Granby is spying on you_?" Temeraire said.

"_Of course not_," Tharkay said, "_But it should drive him to distraction if we talk about Granby in Chinese._"

"Are you talking about me?" Granby asked.

"I don't understand!" Iskierka said.

"Ah!" Temeraire said, "_and Iskierka too. And if Granby is distracted he will not be reading us that book. I find it strange that Granby never seemed interested in reading at all. But lately he comes to read to us in terrible broken verse._"

Tharkay rubbed his chin and glanced sidelong at Granby, "_It is a play, in the old style. Granby is hoping that if he reads you enough love stories you will fall in love with Iskierka."_

"Stop it! What are you saying about my Granby!" Iskierka said. She rounded on Temeraire so fast that Granby was nearly thrown from her back.

"What is the matter here?" Riley said sternly as he mounted the dragon deck behind Laurence.

"Temeraire," Laurence said looking up at his dragon's head, "Explain yourself."

"Why there is nothing to explain," Temeraire said, "Iskierka is a bother—as usual—and she is excited over every little thing."

"They were saying things that I didn't understand!" Iskierka protested and all but lunged on Laurence prompting Temeraire to flinch.

"John?" Laurence said, just noticing Granby's figure scrabbling on Iskierka's back.

"I don't know," Granby said, sighing, "I sent Sipho to get my book and Tharkay came up here and got them arguing again."

Laurence looked at Tharkay and Tharkay just shrugged innocently.

"Well," Riley said, "I know we're not all used to long stretches at sea. I understand you can get bored and irritable, but let's just try to keep the peace, please?"

Several hard looks were passed between the aviators and their dragons at Riley's rather condescending rebuke, but no one said anything else. Riley nodded to Laurence and turned to depart the dragon deck. Granby had thrown himself flat upon Iskierka and was muttering begrudgingly to himself—something about the 'bloody Navy'.

"Captain Riley," Tharkay said, following him from the dragon deck, "Might I accompany you on your rounds?"

Riley nodded and the two of them parted from the dragondeck without much ado. Laurence watched them walking for several moments, before rounding on the others.

"You've settled your disagreement, I hope?" He said; a note of long suffering clung to his words.

"I don't have any disagreements with anyone," Temeraire said.

"You've been disagreeable all morning!" Iskierka contradicted.

Granby covered his face with his hands as the two dragons' bickering began afresh.

"Enough," Laurence said, silencing all of them, "John, perhaps you need a bit of respite, I'll be all right for a few hours."

"Thank you," Granby said and he slid unceremoniously from Iskierka's back and started to unbuckle the harness he was still wearing. But Iskierka nudged at him with her nose and he stumbled just catching himself before he fell. Granby looked up at her great head hovering above him and blocking out the sun.

"What is it, love?" Granby said.

"I should like to go up again," she said.

"But we just landed!" Granby protested.

"I know," Iskierka said, "But Temeraire has upset me and I cannot sleep. We will only go up for a short while—unless you'd rather I went by myself."

Granby looked pleadingly at Laurence as he refastened the buckles he'd undone. Laurence was thumbing through a book trying very hard not to chuckle at Granby's expense. After a few minutes, Granby muttering under his breath, the deck lurched and Iskierka was aloft. Temeraire watched them with no small measure of envy.

"They shan't be long, my dear," Laurence said, "And Iskierka will guard the eggs and we can go."

Temeraire snorted and his ruff went flat against his neck, "I suppose it can't be helped. At least she will be very tired."

Temeraire put his head down near Laurence's seat against his forearm and made a noise of contentment, glad that he had his captain nearby again. Laurence smiled at Temeraire's great eye pointed in his direction.

"Laurence," Temeraire said, "What is love?"

"What?" Laurence said nearly losing his seat.

"It seems that Granby would have me 'fall' in 'love' with Iskierka… It sounds like a dreadful thing."

Laurence opened his mouth to reply and then closed it again—completely at a loss.

**A/N:** _We all know that Tharkay was hiding in his cabin writing Fanfiction… Thanks for reading!_


	5. A Story

_**Disclaimer: Temeraire and all characters were Created by Naomi Novik. I'm just a fan, imitating.**_

_**This story is set at the end Victory of Eagles before the events of Tongues of Serpents; SPOILERS**_

**Chapter 5**

**A Story**

"You didn't have to throw it overboard," Granby said glaring at Tharkay.

"I did not throw anything overboard," Tharkay said coolly and he moved away from the cabin door set down his bag.

"Why do you walk around with that?" Granby said, he was still rather vexed and his tone sounded accusing—suspicious.

Tharkay only smiled and moved to unsecure the small table in their room and move it into the center. Granby followed him still glaring from the vantage of his hammock.

"You could try to be helpful, you know," he said with derision as Tharkay moved the still empty locker to make another seat. "If she and Temeraire had an egg she'll give me less trouble on our return."

Tharkay stood and looked up at Granby with a shrug, "Come down from there and join us."

"Who's coming?" Granby asked, but he jumped down and moved a stool that had been tied to the bulkhead.

"Captain Riley was gracious enough to allow Laurence to visit for a bit of respite. I imagine it isn't so comfortable so near to the gaol and your dragon is so disruptive."

"She is not," Granby said defensively. He paused and then he chuckled, "Well… maybe she is…"

There was a knock at the door and the two of them stood and turned to look. Tharkay finally moved to open it and nodded a greeting to Laurence and the marine escorting him. Both men came in and sat down. Laurence introduced the marine as Mattias Jones and the marine grunted his greetings and sat on the floor in the corner.

The three of them sat at the small table and Tharkay produced three cigars, "Compliments of Captain Riley," he said passing them around.

Laurence watched Granby as he cut an end off awkwardly with a small folding knife and opened the lantern set in the center of the table. He suddenly felt profoundly touched. Here he sat, a convicted traitor, and there were friends enough to show him such kindnesses. Laurence waited until Granby was lit and then lifted the glass and leaned in to light his own. He sat back in his chair and stared at the orange light of sunset coming into the open porthole. He felt a pang of reminiscence as he was brought back to evenings like this on his own ship; the quarters were better and the company perhaps a bit more auspicious, but this was not too far for a match.

Tharkay was still holding the remaining cigar in his hands.

"You can borrow my knife," Granby said, puffing away happily.

"I don't need it," Tharkay said and he ran the cigar under his nose before tucking it away in the folds of his coat.

"Tharkay," Laurence said, "You don't—"

"Too grand a luxury for me," Tharkay said, "But tobacco can be very useful."

Neither Granby nor Laurence could think of a worthy argument for that and let him be. Laurence had his battered deck of cards and Granby frowned as he started to sort out the extra cards and then shuffle them.

"Do you think that Catherine really loves him?" Granby said suddenly. The other two men just looked at him. "I mean because he seems very worried most of the time. I tried to tell him how difficult a thing it is in the Corps… You know, raising a proper family and all that."

Laurence chuckled, "I'm sure Captain Harcourt might've prevented their marrying if she was so against it."

"She resisted," Granby said, "but it was such a disappointment that the babe was a boy. I suppose it's lucky that he's signed on for a second chance."

Laurence, surprised that Granby would take the conversation so low rebuked him with a look, and then he said, "I'm sure they are both capable of making their own decisions on the matter."

"Granby is bothered that your dragon isn't nearly so pragmatic about it as our Captain Harcourt and Captain Riley," Tharkay suggested glancing at the cards Laurence had tossed his way.

"John," Laurence said with a sigh, "I don't want to pressure him so. I find myself constantly telling him no. Ordering him and cajoling him over so many other matters, I don't want to add to that the pressure of an egg. He doesn't like Iskierka, and I don't think the close quarters are going to cure him of that…"

"I think the romances would've worked," Granby said stubbornly as Laurence lost another play to Tharkay, "Iskierka liked them very much."

Laurence laughed, "I'm sorry Granby. None of us on deck were very fond of Shakespeare."

"It's Shakespeare!" Granby said blushing, "Everybody likes Shakespeare!"

"Shakespeare is good," Tharkay interjected, "But perhaps you should've stayed with the sonnets and avoided Romeo and Juliet."

"I didn't think they had Shakespeare in China," Granby said churlishly as Laurence took a trick from Tharkay.

"Perhaps some of us aren't very used to getting female attention," Tharkay said.

Laurence was staring at the card Tharkay had laid down and did not seem to notice how red Granby's ears had gotten. "Are you calling me a buh—"

"Sit down Granby," Laurence said, "Don't provoke him, Tharkay."

"Romeo and Juliet is not romantic at all," Tharkay said, but Granby was shaking his head and muttering curses under his breath. Laurence's brow was deeply furrowed as he eyed the tricks Tharkay had taken and left face up on the table, counting the number of cards in both their hands. Finally he set down a card and Tharkay took the trick.

"Love, kept apart by the hatred of their families, following each other into death," Tharkay said leading the next trick, "Dreadfully sad—don't you think?"

"Hmph," Laurence said, eyeing the card.

"But that's why it's romantic," Granby said chewing the end of his cigar, "they are so in love that they would follow each other into death. Isn't it implied also that perhaps love transcends death and is shared in the afterlife?"

Tharkay shook his head and took the trick after Laurence had put down his card, "Tell me, how does that appeal to a dragon? Iskierka wants an egg of Temeraire and he is refusing simply because he does not like her. Reading them tragedies while stuck in the middle of the ocean won't make them want to—you know."

"Is that why you threw my book overboard?" Granby said huffily and even Laurence looked up from the card game.

"I threw it overboard," Laurence said, "But only because Iskierka had set it on fire, I didn't want to risk the ship."

"What?" Granby said, "But I thought Iskierka liked—"

"I'm not sure what happened exactly," Laurence said, "but as the crisis has been averted, I didn't feel the need to start inquiries—especially with the risk of getting the two of them fighting again."

Tharkay glanced meaningfully at Granby and Laurence dropped his final card on the table with a frown. Laurence set his cigar down in a bit of tin and leaned back to look at the marine who was sleeping in the corner. Tharkay had gathered the cards and started to shuffle them. Granby looked at Laurence with a frown.

"I'm going to be in the colony for a long time, aren't I?" Laurence offered a tight-lipped smile of sympathy.

"I wish I had more that I could say to Temeraire on the matter, but alas, I have only been betrothed once and really it wasn't more than a promise among children. Any experience I might have had was not love nor intending anything more substantial than the release of… well pressure and longing, I suppose."

Tharkay had set the deck on the table and was eyeing the other two and the little table became decidedly uncomfortable.

"What was her name, your paramour?" Granby said finally, breaking the silence.

Laurence hesitated and then he said, "Edith."

Tharkay started shuffling the deck again his dark eyes trained on the task.

They sat without speaking for a long space of time, only the soft patter of the cards breaking the heavy silence while Tharkay shuffled. Laurence frowned a bit and then he stretched his shoulders and smiled at Granby.

"And you John?" He said, "Have you ever been in love?"

Granby blushed as he sat back in his seat and set down his cigar. He shook his head. "Don't have too much time for that in the Corps," he said gruffly. Tharkay snorted.

"I suppose you've got a story, do you Tharkay?" Granby said taking up the cigar and pointing it at him.

"I thought, perhaps, that you've answered your question regarding the problem of the dragons," Tharkay said deftly avoiding Granby's question.

Laurence was staring at Tharkay now suddenly curious. Would he be prying if he asked? After all it was just the three of them and they were friends? Perhaps? Tharkay met Laurence's eye and set down the deck again. Granby was puffing at the cigar again and glaring at Tharkay. Laurence swallowed, he wanted to know for sure, he wanted to ask about Sara Maden. Tharkay lifted the deck and placed it in front of Laurence.

"Go on Tharkay," Granby said, "Give us a story. Two poor blokes who haven't had time for the finer things in the world."

Tharkay's brow furrowed slightly. Laurence cut the deck and pushed it back toward Tharkay who dealt the next hand. Laurence turned to Granby and gave him another hard glare, and said very softly, "John, careful that you do not take things too far."

Tharkay was looking at the two of them surreptitiously while sorting the cards in his hand. They fell into the game and played the full hand and were halfway through another before Granby interrupted by putting out his cigar.

"It was only a little jab, I meant nothing by it," Granby said under his breath. Tharkay looked at him and smiled at the apology.

"Most of the stories that people tell of love are like Romeo and Juliet—tragic…" He looked at Laurence directly, "Do you think a dragon is very interested in tragedy?"

"No, I don't think they are interested in tragedy," Laurence said.

"And you Granby?" Tharkay said.

"I guess not."

"So why do you think plying them with stories of human love—human tragedy—will convince Temeraire that he ought to give in to Iskierka."

Laurence set down a card and he and Granby both looked at Tharkay, who seemed very amused with himself. Tharkay took the trick and set the cards to the side. They were still staring at him while he took several moments to decide which card to lead with and set it down. He looked up at Laurence.

"Well," Laurence said.

"What?" Tharkay said.

"Human love is not always a travesty," Granby said gruffly and leaned back in his stool—far enough that the front leg lifted from the deck.

"Isn't it?" Tharkay said staring hard at the card laid on the table, the queen of hearts.

Laurence chuckled, staring at the card on the table and took the trick. Tharkay smiled, "and good riddance to her."

"It's a rather sad way to look at the world," Granby said.

"You've never had your heart broken," Tharkay said but he smiled slightly and Laurence wondered whether he was serious or merely baiting Granby.

Granby cleared his throat and sat forward, and the leg of the stool struck the deck with a thump. "Give us the story then, Romeo."

Laurence swallowed watching Tharkay's face, which remained impassive. Tharkay looked at Laurence directly, "Your lead."

"Oh," Laurence said and stared at his cards.

"I told this story to Arkady once," Tharkay said rolling his shoulders while his eyes followed Laurence's hand.

"There was a Mughal Emperor in India, long ago. His name was Shah Jahan and he was called the king of the world—"

"Don't change the subject—" Granby interjected but Laurence silenced him with a look. Tharkay dropped a card on the table winning another trick.

"So, Shah Jahan was married to Mumtaz Mahal—well he was a Muhammedan—so he had three wives, and a harem. She was his third wife, but he loved Mumtaz best of all. She was the mother of ten or so of his children, and she accompanied him where ever he went—conquering other nations."

Tharkay paused and rearranged the cards in his hand. Granby was leaning on the table with his cheek cradled in his hand. Laurence's brow was furrowed again as he stared at the cards and tried to follow the story.

"His reign was one of the most successful, and the Mughals grew very wealthy and they were deferent to the arts and to the building of great monuments. Mumtaz Mahal died in childbirth. In her honor he built her the greatest mausoleum the world has ever seen—Taj Mahal."

Laurence smiled, "A true story."

"Yeah, that wasn't romantic at all," Granby said and Tharkay laughed at him.

"Add the bit about his peacock throne—worth 10 million pounds—and surely you well get a dragon's attention." Tharkay dropped a card on the table.

"Have you ever seen it?" Laurence asked

"What? The Taj Mahal? I have. When I was a very young man—and you are kaput," Tharkay said sliding the last trick from the table. Laurence shook his head incredulously.

"I am finished," Laurence said.

"Not quite," Tharkay said, "there's another hand."

"John, will you play the winner?" Laurence asked.

"No," Granby said, and then turned to Tharkay, "I think you cheat."

"What motive does he have for that?" Laurence said defensively.

"You do have another hand," Granby said standing, "I say we should toast. I dare say I'll need some fortification if I have to play this devil."

Laurence shook his head as he shuffled the cards. Granby left the room to find a bottle for their toast and Laurence and Tharkay were alone with only the snores from the marine for company.

"You were in India?" Laurence said after the door closed behind Granby.

Tharkay shrugged, "My father certainly didn't climb a mountain to find my mother. Bengal is a very large Presidency and people were mixing all the time there."

Laurence chuckled. They sat quietly sorting their cards after the deal.

"Edith poured coffee for us in London," Tharkay said.

Laurence's head shot up and he looked at Tharkay but Tharkay kept his eyes on his cards. "Yes," Laurence said finally. He hesitated again and then added softly, "It was over when I harnessed Temeraire."

"I'm sorry," Tharkay said.

"I wouldn't give him up for anything," Laurence said. He smiled to himself, knowing it was true.

* * *

**A/N:** _Thank you! I'm sure you're one of the few that have made it this far. Gave it a better story. 8-5-2012_


	6. A Disappearance

_**Disclaimer: Temeraire and all characters were Created by Naomi Novik. I'm just a fan, imitating.**_

_**This story is set at the end Victory of Eagles before the events of Tongues of Serpents; SPOILERS**_

**Chapter 6**

**A Disappearance**

Granby awoke to bright light streaming from the porthole window. He muttered under his breath and turned over, burying his face into his pillow. His eyes were gummy and his mouth was dry. He didn't need another rude arousal at daybreak. But he couldn't fall back to sleep.

He could hear Tharkay in the room though the small noises of his movements and the rustle of cloth were nearly hidden by the creaking of the ship or the sound of—well Granby didn't know what the sound was. Laurence had tried to explain it to him—something about the wood of the hull and the weight of water and displacement and something like that.

Granby peeked out from under his pillow to see why Tharkay seemed to be running and jumping all over the cabin, his shadow flitting in and out of the stream of light. Tharkay was standing bare-assed naked in front of his own hammock. Granby's breath caught—he couldn't help it. Granby turned over and put his pillow on his face.

He lay there in the suffocating darkness of his pillow, thinking that Tharkay was very rude. Another part of his mind asked him why it should be considered rude at all when this was a shared cabin and Tharkay couldn't very well be doing whatever he was doing bare-assed naked on the weather deck.

Tharkay made a noise—a very slight, very sudden intake of breath. He muttered something under his breath and was quiet again. Granby had to look now. Before he could stop himself he was peeking surreptitiously out from under the pillow.

Tharkay was still bare-assed naked. His hair was wet and he had it pulled into a sloppy knot high on the back of his head. Water still beaded on his compact but well muscled shoulders. Granby swallowed and slipped back into the darkness under his pillow.

He suddenly wished desperately to be asleep again. Granby's jaw started to hurt and it took him a moment to realize he'd been clenching and grinding his teeth. Perhaps he should just get up.

Tharkay had twisted toward the window to hold whatever he was doing up to the light. The change in posture brought a change in the spectacle, lines of sinew and bone—light carving into shadows. Granby bit his lip—why was he peeking again? He could feel a trill starting somewhere behind his bellybutton, pressure and warmth at the juncture of his legs—he certainly wasn't going to jump down from the hammock now.

He'd been mending his trousers, Granby realized. He was pulling them up over his thighs and then his hips. Tharkay turned to face the window as he buttoned them, he wouldn't want to button them wrong. They were poorly tailored—or at least, not tailored to him. Granby gasped a little when Tharkay let go of the waist and they slid back down to the top of his narrow hips. Granby swallowed again.

Tharkay looked at him and Granby lay very still—he could hear his heart pounding in his ears. Tharkay's brows were knit and his dark eyes narrowed. Uncertainty? Tharkay hitched his trousers and Granby almost smiled when they slid down again. Tharkay had his back to him again examining his shirt now. Every now and again one hand went back to hitch up his trousers again. A nervous, self-conscious movement that did make Granby smile.

Tharkay moved closer to the window and held his shirt up to the light. He was facing Granby now, offering him full view of his chest and belly. His fingers took the needle from his clever little mouth and he leaned into the light, his face set in concentration as he made his repairs. Granby swallowed again.

"Granby?" Tharkay said.

In the light Tharkay's pupils were like pinpricks and his eyes a very warm shade of brown. Granby wished he would die suddenly.

"Are you awake?"

"Eh?" Granby said trying to sound sleepy.

"Ah well," Tharkay said almost inaudibly and turned his focus back to his mending.

Granby was sweating and trying to hold his breath, he needed to ease the pressure so he could jump out of the hammock and hide somewhere else.

He couldn't stop himself from looking when Tharkay made a small hiss of surprise. Probably poked himself with the needle, Granby thought as he rubbed, trying to relieve the pressure. Tharkay had his lips pursed his eyes mere slits as he squinted at his stitches.

He put the needle between his teeth and held the shirt up to the light to find another place to work on. Light and shadow warring over the planes and angles of his body. Even the slight movements of a healthy live creature were enhanced in that play. The expansion and contraction of the arc of his ribcage. The twitch of the sinew of his forearms with the small movements of his hands. The way he worked his clever little mouth while deeply focused. Granby whimpered and closed his eyes.

"Granby, what are you doing?"

Granby's eyes shot open but he didn't see anything before Tharkay dropped the pillow back on his face. When Granby sat up Tharkay was stepping off of the chair he'd stood on. He gathered his bundle of clothing and his boots and shot out of the room.

"What?" Granby said belatedly to the ceiling. He hadn't seen Tharkay put down his mending and leave the window. He lay back in defeat and moaned as he finished himself off.

* * *

"Tharkay! What—!" Laurence said. He stood immediately and slapped a hand over Emily's face, shielding her eyes. Tharkay had come up from nowhere wearing only his trousers with the rest of his clothing under his arm. Color did not normally show so stark on his face.

Tharkay slid his shirt over his head and started shoving the tails into his trousers.

"What do you mean running up here like that?" Laurence said.

Tharkay looked deeply offended and Laurence couldn't remember ever seeing him so angry. Emily wriggled away from Laurence, and as Tharkay was no longer so offensively under dressed, he let her go. Tharkay sat on the deck to pull up his boots.

"Tharkay," Laurence said.

"Granby," Tharkay said and stood and then tugged on his coat.

"What happened now?" Laurence said wearily.

Tharkay didn't say anything. But his jaws were clenched tightly and Laurence noted the twitch of muscle in his cheek. Tharkay tugged his collar straight and started to wrap his neck cloth. Laurence in an automatic movement lifted his arms to help but Tharkay stopped him.

"Nobody touch me," he said, his voice low and dangerous.

Laurence raised his eyebrows, but complied. When Tharkay finished dressing himself he turned and stormed off of the dragon deck—almost knocking down one of the Marines standing sentry.

"Tharkay has gone abaft," Iskierka said and nodded sagely.

Temeraire snorted and Laurence frowned still watching Tharkay's figure diminish amidships.

"Very good," Laurence said absently praising her. "That was very curious."

"Indeed," Temeraire said.

"What happened?" Emily said shoving Sipho over so she could sit next to Demane, "He didn't say anything."

"That's not true," Temeraire said, "He said 'Granby' and 'Nobody touch me'. I don't suppose they've had an argument."

"Well," Laurence said, though his curiosity was piqued, "It is none of our concern, so it's best not to worry over much about it."

"Where is Granby?" Iskierka said, "Do you suppose he's been hurt?"

Laurence frowned as he took his seat on Temeraire's forearm, "I don't see why Granby would be in any danger. Now, where were we?"

"The headsail," Temeraire said.

"Oh," Emily cut in, "the headsail is any sail forward of the foremast."

"Good," Laurence said, "So who can point out the headsails on _The Allegiance_?"

Sipho and Emily pointed at the rigging high above their heads.

"And how many?" Laurence said.

"Five," Iskierka said.

"The Allegiance had eight," Temeraire corrected.

"But I can only see five," she said.

"Just because a sail has been put away—" Temeraire started, but Laurence cut in.

"Handed," he said.

"What?" Temeraire said, "Oh Laurence may we stop? I assure you none of us present here are want for sailing anything."

Inwardly, Laurence agreed, but the project had kept everyone engaged for the better part of the afternoon the previous day, and it just might endear them to the sailors.

"Ah, Temeraire, never say never," Laurence said, but he smiled.

"Oh I never," Temeraire said, "May we go flying yet?"

"We're still waiting for Granby," Laurence said.

"Why? Temeraire said, "Iskierka is staying to watch the eggs."

"I am," She confirmed, "Granby will find me here."

"May we come Laurence?" Emily said, standing with the two boys, "Perhaps we can better see the rigging from aloft?"

Laurence smiled at that, "I don't see why not—Granby?"

Granby approached the deck and nodded a greeting at the marines before ascending the stair. He looked a little disheveled and he seemed distant or contemplative.

"Roland, will you see to the harnesses?," Laurence called before turning to Granby, "Granby! Good morning," Granby offered an uncertain smile.

"John, a word," Laurence put a hand on his shoulder and turned him away from the others.

"What is it?" Granby said.

"What happened?" Laurence said.

"Ah—what are you talking about?" Granby said.

"Tharkay—," Laurence began, and Granby's brows knit and he shook his head.

"What did he tell you?" Laurence wasn't sure, but he thought Granby sounded not a little defensive.

"Nothing," Laurence said, "But he ran up here half-naked and snarling. Then he stormed off."

Granby shrugged looking at the hem of his coat where some of the gold brocade was starting to fray. He rubbed at it with his hand.

"How should I know?" Granby said throwing up his hands in a gesture of long-suffering.

"I know quarters are close," Laurence said, "But we've still got many weeks ahead of us and you really ought to try and keep the peace."

"I didn't do nothing," Granby said, "He'll come around later, why are you telling me to keep peace? Tharkay is prickly."

Laurence shrugged and turned to see Emily waving at him from Temeraire's rigging.

"I'm going aloft," Laurence said suddenly curt. Granby made a face at his back as Laurence went beside Temeraire and pulled on his own harness. Granby went to sit beside Iskierka.

* * *

Granby woke early for once and dressed in the gray morning light pouring from the porthole. He met Riley coming up on deck and Riley seemed surprised to see him.

"Captain Granby," Riley shook his hand and smiled, "Have you broken your fast?"

Granby shook his head.

"Would you care to join me?" Riley said and Granby was slightly put off. Would it be rude to refuse the ship's captain?

"Er… Well, I'm flattered," Granby stammered.

"I haven't seen you in weeks," Riley said innocently, "I rather need a break from Mr. Purbeck… Come, along."

Granby groaned inwardly and let Riley lead him to the Captain's mess.

"How are your accommodations? Do you find them adequate?" Riley said earnestly.

Granby started to feel as if he was being interrogated for some unknown crime.

"They are," Granby said.

"You're not lacking?"

"No," Granby said, "Well… I should be grateful that you've found me a place."

"Be honest, Granby," Riley said, "If there is anything I can do…"

"Ah—well," Granby wanted to tell him to get rid of Tharkay, but in the end he said, "Ah, no. I am very comfortable."

"I am relieved," Riley said smiling. Granby was starting to worry, their meeting suddenly felt very contrived.

In the Captain's quarters, they were greeted by one of the stewards and offered seats at the table. Granby looked around, impressed at the simple elegance of the cabin. It had been a while since he'd been inside this cabin.

Riley chattered for a while about the weather and something about the ship that Granby wasn't following.

"Granby?" Riley said.

Granby startled and realized he'd been sitting staring blankly at his empty plate. Riley was sitting back down, having just served himself from a rather meager selection laid out on the sideboard. Granby took up his plate and filled it, not really caring what he was getting—whatever he chose—hadn't breakfasted this well in a while.

"Normally, Mr. Tharkay will join me," Riley said and Granby swallowed nervously, "He's always about rather early—and Mr. Purbeck avoids him almost to the point of rudeness. Well, I suppose Purbeck is actually rude to him."

"Oh," Granby said and shoveled egg into his mouth to stifle any need for an answer.

"I don't mind him," Riley said as if trying to convince Granby of something, "He is my guest."

Granby nodded solemnly.

"Tell me Granby," Riley said, "Is your dragon well?"

Granby swallowed his mouthful and smiled, "She does very well, Captain. Considering, they are confined to a ship. Iskierka has never been on a ship before, and this voyage is very long."

Riley wiped his mouth and paused staring at his plate as if considering, and Granby felt a nervous prick along his hairline.

"You're friends with Catherine?" Riley said.

Granby gave a sigh of relief and leaned back in his chair. Riley looked horrified.

"She was still a cadet when I went into harness," Granby said, "But you can say we grew up together—she was about five years behind me—until Lily hatched."

"Do you know if she… Ever… Um… With another aviator?" Riley asked.

Granby was sipping at his coffee cup and almost spat it out at Riley.

"She was still a kid when she harnessed Lily," Granby said, "I don't think romance was ever anything she bothered herself with. It isn't very easy when you're paired with a dragon."

Riley stared at him, looking dissatisfied. Granby laughed.

"Would you rather I told you she had other lovers?"

"No," Riley said, "Not in the least."

"She's busy, that's all," Granby slid his fork over his plate to gather another bite. Riley was watching him with incongruous interest.

"I keep thinking about her—how we parted," Riley said, "She didn't want to see me to the dockyard."

Granby shrugged chewing carefully and swallowed, "I'm sure she had some other distraction. Catherine is such a girl, she probably didn't want everyone to see her cry."

Riley met his eye directly and smiled. Tom's eyes were very blue in the light streaming in through the windows of the cabin. Granby smiled back, satisfied.

"She's lucky to have a fellow like you," Granby said.

"Ah well," Riley blushed a little and lowered his head.

"I think she knows it."

* * *

"But if we were to see a prize," Iskierka said turning another loop and Granby let himself hang limply from the harness, it was very much like flying himself.

"Darling, what if we were lost?"

"But you are a much better captain than Laurence is, you could drive the other ship back to _The Allegiance_."

"I could not," Granby said gaining his feet deftly as she righted herself, "and if you needed a rest? Where would you land? There's nothing for so far out. And no ship besides a dragon transport could carry you."

"Well, I suppose," Iskierka said, "And someone has to help Temeraire with the eggs."

"Yes exactly," Granby said, "Are you not hungry, love?"

"No," Iskierka said and spun another lazy loop in the air.

"You should eat before we return to the ship."

"Fish are so very tiresome," Iskierka said, but she dipped toward the water, and Granby closed his eyes against the spray.

She flew up with her catch and he felt her head jerk as she swallowed whole whatever it was. Some large silver thing that Granby wasn't very familiar with. When was done eating Iskierka dove and skimmed the surface with her claws.

"Do you suppose," Iskierka said, "that Temeraire is worried that he might crush me?"

"What?" Granby said wiping at his face with an equally wet sleeve.

"Do you think Temeraire wishes I were bigger?"

Please don't get any bigger, Granby thought, "I wouldn't know."

"I'm quite grown up don't you think?"

"Yes, darling. You are perfect as you are."

"But Temeraire is bigger than me still and maybe he's worried he might crush me?"

"Erm," Granby said suddenly catching her meaning, "I'm sure he's not worried about that."

"When dragons make eggs the boy dragon has to come on top of the girl dragon."

"Oh boy," Granby said, "Where did you learn that?"

"Arkady," Iskierka said, "He wanted to mount me in Dover. But I told him he was too small and he doesn't have the divine wind or fire or anything so grand as that."

Granby didn't know what to make of the sudden revelation. He decided he ought to be relieved that she didn't have an egg with a feral dragon.

"Iskierka, darling, we ought to find The Allegiance now," Granby said and was glad she did not put up too much argument.

"What happens when one gets lost at sea?" she asked.

"I think they would drown," Granby said.

"When they drink too much water?"

"No," Granby said, "The water goes up your nose and into your lungs and you can't breathe. It sounds rather awful."

"That would be awful," Iskierka said, "A sailor drowned last week."

"Poor fellow," Granby said distracted in looking for the shape of the dragon transport among the endless waves. All the talk of drowning seemed too much like tempting fate.

"Laurence said he was worried about Tharkay," Iskierka said and Granby's hands tightened involuntarily on the harness straps.

"No one has seen him for four days," Iskierka said, "Do you suppose he's drowned?"

Granby swallowed and frowned, "I'm sure they would know if he's drowned. They have lookouts all over the ship for that sort of thing."

"There are two on the fo'csle and four on the stern, two on the top gallant of the mainmast and one each on the foremast and mizzen."

Granby smiled nervously still thinking about Tharkay's disappearance, "You're turning into a regular sailor."

"If we had enough prizes, do you think we could make our own ship? We could make one large enough that I could sail it?"

"Huh?" Granby said.

_The Allegiance_ appeared on the horizon and Granby wasn't sure if he was relieved to see her or dreading his return.

* * *

**A/N: **_Oh noes! Granby misbehaving!_

_Thanks for reading!_


	7. A Lady

_**Disclaimer: Temeraire and all characters were created by Naomi Novik. I'm just a fan, imitating.**_

_**This story is set at the end Victory of Eagles before the events of Tongues of Serpents; SPOILERS**_

**Chapter 7**

**A Lady**

Emily lay awake in her hammock. Outside the moon had risen and sliver light poured in from the windows of the small cabin throwing shadows about the small room. The sheet of canvas they'd rigged for privacy fluttered lazily in the soft breeze of the open porthole. In spite of the heavy canvas barrier, Emily could still hear Annie Blincoln's snores from the other side. The vile woman's presence made all the arguments replay in her head. And Emily was confused and upset and she had no one to share her concerns—not even Laurence. Certainly Laurence had enough to concern himself with already.

Emily brushed away her tears of frustration, hoping she would doze and morning would come, and with it, a respite from all of the vexing notions Annie Blincoln sought to trouble her with. Emily pushed up the sides of her pillow and squashed them against her ears to make Annie Blincoln disappear, but alas one could not sleep while concentrating on keeping one's pillow folded over one's ears.

She decided to get up. Emily dressed silently and grabbed her pillow and a blanket and tiptoed out of the cabin. She hadn't done this sooner because Laurence might have noticed, and she didn't want him worrying after her. The corridor was quiet and dark but the deck above was beautiful, awash in shadows and silver moonlight. The sails stark and white and almost glowing against the black sky.

Emily crossed the deck and headed forward toward the dragon deck. The sounds of the ship seemed eerily amplified in the night. She found her eyes darting toward flitting shadows and small voices sounding above the noise of the creaking beams. Emily walked more quickly and was relived to see the two hulking forms on the dragon deck, glossy sides reflecting in the moonlight and rising and falling steadily in sleep. Emily looked around, the Marines were not there—having accompanied their charge to his cell—and Demane and Sipho too. They must have gone with Laurence. The other aviators had their own cabins.

She spread her blanket at Temeraire's left elbow, between the dragon's bulk and the port railing she'd be well hidden. Emily still wasn't tired though and slid over to the rail to watch the water slide past. She startled and gasped when the shadow fell over her.

"Oh, it's only you," Emily said, recognizing Tharkay. He was standing on the railing and peering down at her, his face an eerie mask of shadows in the pale light.

"What are you doing here?" Tharkay said, "It's after midnight."

"Couldn't sleep," Emily said raising her chin and trying not to let him see he had frightened her. "Where have you been?"

Tharkay shrugged—the movement almost lost in the night—and then he stepped off of the railing and perched on the claws of Temeraire's hind foot and stared out across the waves.

"Where have you been?" Emily repeated. Tharkay seemed startled to find she was still there.

"Here," Tharkay said, "on the ship. Where else could I have gone?"

"Laurence seemed worried about you, is all," Emily said, "Granby thinks you may have drowned."

"I'm sure Granby would like that," Tharkay said almost in audibly. He continued to stare out at the open ocean. The only thing Emily could see of him was the tip of his nose poking out from the shadows of his hair that was black as the shadows and Temeraire's hide and matted from whatever he'd gotten himself into.

Emily slid back to her spot near Temeraire's elbow and put her pillow against the dragon's side. She lay down but still couldn't sleep and listened instead to the rush of the waves and the creaking of the ship until the sound of it filled her head and though she couldn't sleep her mind had drifted.

Tharkay cleared his throat. Emily nearly jumped to her feet. She glared in his direction.

"What?" She said.

"You shouldn't be up here alone," he said, his nose was still pointed at the sea, "There are sailors about at night."

Emily made a derisive tick, who was he to tell her what she should and shouldn't be doing?

"Since when is it any of your concern?" Emily spat, tired of all these older fellows telling her what to do.

Tharkay didn't respond and she looked up at him; his nose was pointed at her. She could see his chin and mouth now—he was smiling too.

"You are correct, Miss Roland," Tharkay said finally, and he stood to leave.

"Wait," Emily said, "I suppose Laurence would blame himself if…"

"Probably," Tharkay said still standing.

"I can't stand that vile woman, Mister Tharkay," Emily said.

Tharkay didn't answer her and it was too dark for her make out any gesture or expression, if that had been his reply. After several moments hesitation Tharkay removed to the railing and sat opposite of her.

"What woman?" He said without bothering to disguise any reluctance.

"Annie Blincoln," Emily said. She crossed her arms and drew her knees up to her chin.

"I don't know her," Tharkay said dismissively and turned to look round the deck.

"She's constantly criticizing everything I do. I have an important job—a duty. I'm an officer now, you know. Annie Blincoln only wants to stay at home and have children and read the bible—because she can't read anything else—and she always makes me out to be some stupid—I hate her!"

Emily stopped, feeling a little queer about her companion, but relieved at venting some frustration. Tharkay was staring at her and from this vantage she could see his eyes glinting in the shadows of their sockets one dark eyebrow raised.

"I'm just—" Emily said, "I wish we would just stop soon. I hate this ship."

"Everyone feels it, I think," Tharkay said gently and when Emily started to cry he looked away and said nothing. Emily was grateful for it. The others might've tried to comfort her and coddle her, but that's not what she was looking for.

When she regained her composure she wiped her face with her sleeve and looked up to see Tharkay still sitting on the railing. He wasn't looking at her.

"Tharkay," Emily said, and she waited for him to turn back to her.

"What is it?" Tharkay said.

"You won't tell anyone?"

"No," Tharkay said.

* * *

Emily awoke to bright morning light and Demane standing over her. Temeraire was gone and she could see Granby's lanky figure beside Iskierka, busy with a rag and bucket. Allen and some of the younger aviators were kicking around a sandbag shouting and laughing. But for the wood of the deck at their feet, they might have been back in the covert.

"Come," Demane said offering a hand to help her up, "Did you sleep here?"

"Um yes," Emily said, "I wanted some fresh air."

Demane looked at her chidingly and shook his head, making that particular motion with his mouth that told her he thought she was being silly. He waited while she put her blankets away to the side of the deck among other odds and ends that had collected as the aviators spent a great deal of time on the deck. Demane took her hand and led her down toward the galley.

"Demane," Emily said, "Where are we going?"

"Gong Su is going to show us how to skin a rat clean with one motion," Demane said happily, "Perhaps he will let me have the tails too."

Emily groaned inwardly but did not pull away from his warm grip. Gong Su had a rack near the galley, in the same berthing as the cooks and stewards that made up Riley's crew, and she could hear the call of voices of the clanging of pots and the hiss of steam. It was very hot near the galley, almost like sitting in Iskierka's embrace.

The berthing was dark and several rows of hammocks were hung crowded into the small space—and not all of them empty. Emily wrinkled her nose as they passed a bared leg and foot on their way through the berthing. There were fleas in the thick red hair of the leg and a distinct smell coming from the foot. Emily covered her nose with her sleeve. Demane only chuckled as he shoved the leg out of their way and continued.

There was a warm glow of firelight at the end of the berthing and to Emily's surprise the hushed sounds of some secret argument. It took Emily a moment to realize it was in Chinese. The voices grew louder but the words were too rapid-fire and colloquial for her to make out very clearly. Something about a dog perhaps and a barbarian.

When she and Demane pushed through the curtain that separated Gong Su from the rest of the crew, they very nearly ran into Tharkay. He was standing just inside the curtain and holding a small burlap sack that was dripping with blood. Gong Su was glaring up at him from his seated position near the bulkhead with a scroll open on his lap. Gong Su managed to tear away from Tharkay long enough to greet the children with a friendly smile. Tharkay didn't seem to notice their entrance.

Gong Su stood and put away his scroll and locked up his things and then reached over to take the bloody bag from Tharkay. Tharkay pulled back from him and said something Emily didn't catch. Gong Su replied dismissively and grabbed the bag away without further hesitation from Tharkay.

"_And the tea_?" Tharkay said.

Gong Su muttered under his breath and motioned for Demane and Emily to follow.

Emily frowned up at him as they left the small space. Tharkay was deadpan when he returned her look. He followed behind them quietly as they left the berthing and when they exited, Emily turned back to find he was gone.

"Emily," Demane said with his usual urgency, "Come!"

Demane took her hand before she could protest any further.

* * *

"Emily," Laurence said, his voice soft, quiet, dangerous.

Emily looked down at him from where she was perched on Temeraire's withers. A shudder ran through the dragon's skin and he swung his great head around shadowing Laurence. Temeraire didn't say anything.

When she didn't respond Laurence looked up at her, his blue eyes shaded by the dragon's shadow were as dark and threatening as the sea. Emily just stared at him.

"Ensign Roland," Laurence repeated. Emily jerked out of her reverie and scrambled down from Temeraire's back. She took the long way, sliding down Temeraire's opposite side and walking along the railing, around the enormous tail and along the dragon's length toward Laurence.

Even without a coat and rank, he exuded command. Emily surreptitiously tidied her uniform as she approached him. Laurence would always be her captain.

"Sir?" she said raising her chin to hide her nervousness.

"Why were you sleeping on the deck last night?" He did not raise his voice and his blue eyes bore into her like steel blades. Emily couldn't tell if he was truly angry or merely curious.

"Sir—Mr. Laurence—I," Emily stammered and Temeraire turned his great head away, "Temeraire! Did you tell on me?"

"Never mind how I know," Laurence said, "Why were you up here alone? Something might've happened to you."

"I was… Tharkay was here last night," Emily said and Laurence's eyebrows—not quite so blonde as his hair—raised, "I wasn't alone."

"Still," Laurence said, "You're not a girl anymore. A young lady mustn't wander about alone at night—"

"But I wasn't—"

"What if something happened with one of those sailors?" Laurence said. His eyes narrowed with his concern. Laurence put one of his big rough hands on her shoulder, "My dear girl, you are a young lady."

Emily frowned at him. He wouldn't elaborate further, but hadn't mother warned her about men like that? Hadn't she been taught to defend herself?

"Nothing happened," Emily said, "and I know how to take care of myself."

Laurence sighed and took his hand away, Emily thought perhaps he smiled as he turned his head away, "Emily what will become of you?" His voice was barely audible.

"Laurence," Temeraire's voice boomed over them, "I told you, I knew it when she came last night, and Tharkay was here besides. He is much smaller that me, so he would be able to chase any intruder away. Not that any intruder would dare come up here when I'm here."

"And you sleep also," Laurence said, "and Tharkay won't be here every night."

"I can't promise that I won't do it again," Emily said.

"You will not do it again," Laurence said rounding on her.

"I won't make a habit," Emily said, "Sir."

Laurence looked at her and his eyes seemed tired and Emily felt very guilty and finally she said, "I won't come up here alone at night. I'm sorry, Laurence."

Laurence reached over and squeezed her shoulder again and he opened his mouth to speak but they were interrupted by Iskierka who landed on her side of the deck in flurry of wings and steam.

Iskierka looked over at Temeraire and then raised her head and snorted before turning her back to him and settling herself on the deck. Granby jumped down from the deck with his harness jingling and rubbed at his wet hair. He started unbuckling his own harness as he walked toward them grinning at Laurence.

"Hello," Granby said. Laurence still had a hand on Emily's shoulder but he pulled away as he sat up to look at Granby.

"Granby," Laurence said. Granby frowned looking at Emily and then looking back at Laurence.

"Am I interrupting something?" Granby said awkwardly.

"Not at all," Laurence said. Emily frowned, though she doubted that either man saw her disappointment.

* * *

**A/N:** Thanks for reading… I don't it too far fetched that Emily might have a little crush on Laurence… Next chapter Granby (again) then Laurence (finally) :0


	8. A Scoundrel

_**Disclaimer: Temeraire and all characters were created by Naomi Novik. I'm just a fan, imitating.**_

_**This story is set at the end Victory of Eagles before the events of Tongues of Serpents; SPOILERS**_

**Chapter 8**

**A Scoundrel**

"Where the hell have you been?" Granby had just entered the cabin. A cabin that he'd had to himself for the better part of a week. Now his absentee roommate had returned, and Granby stared at him, or what he could see of Tharkay—the dark mat of his hair on the pillow and the sharp rise of his shoulder under what seemed like an inordinate number of blankets.

The porthole was opened and Granby walked over to close it. But before he could secure the latch, Tharkay said, "Leave it."

"If you're cold, it would serve you better to close the damned—"

"Just leave it," Tharkay said.

"So where have you been?" Granby said again.

"Just leave me alone," Tharkay said and then he coughed, and Granby was surprised. Then he was upset and he thought for a moment and rubbed his face with his hands.

"Are you sick?" Granby said sounding not a little exasperated, "Why did you bring it here? Are you so angry with me that you—"

Tharkay turned over and looked at Granby, "I'm not angry with you Granby."

Granby frowned, Tharkay did not look well at all. His face seemed gaunt and there was a bruised look about his eyes, not to mention several days of stubble on his chin and his hair was matted beyond any form.

"Then why did you stay away so long?" Granby said, still feeling that he'd somehow been mistreated.

"It was nothing to do with you," Tharkay said and he rolled over again to face the bulkhead.

"I think it was pretty obvious that you were angry with me," Granby said.

Tharkay said something under his breath into the wall but he didn't turn around.

"Are you really sick?"

"I'm just tired," Tharkay said, "I'll be right again in the morning."

"Should I fetch the surgeon?" Granby said.

"No," Tharkay said, "it would be worse for the both of us."

Granby stared at the pile of blankets and crossed his arms, frowning. The pile shuddered with a cough and was still again. Granby narrowed his eyes and glared even harder, as if Tharkay would suddenly reveal some of his mischief if only Granby could just stare intently enough at him.

Granby left the cabin and slammed the door on his way out, stomping toward the dragon deck.

"Granby," Iskierka said when Granby very rudely stomped aboard.

Laurence and Riley were standing at the railing between the two dragons sharing some conversation and both of them turned to look at Granby at Iskierka's remark.

"He's back," Granby said.

Laurence grinned at Granby and Riley said, "Who's back?"

"Tharkay," Granby said.

"Oh," Riley said, "I hadn't realized he'd gone."

"Granby," Laurence said, "Whatever is the problem now?"

"Did he hurt you Granby?" Iskierka said.

"No," Granby said, "He's in his hammock asleep—I think."

"Ah," Laurence said and Riley nodded.

"That seems like a good idea for all of us," and he turned to Laurence and clasped his hand, "I bid you goodnight Mr. Laurence."

"Good night, Captain," Laurence said with a slight incline of his head. Granby stared at all of them dumbstruck. Riley patted him on the shoulder as he passed and took his leave of the dragon deck.

Laurence shook his head at Granby and Granby joined him at the railing.

"What's got you bothered tonight, Granby?" Laurence said.

"Nothing," Granby said, and he leaned against the rail and lowered his head, "I'm just… I don't know Laurence; I just don't know."

Laurence was still and staring at the sea, a few strands of his hair had come loose from the leather thong that held it in a queue and the wind picked them up and buffeted them about his face.

"You're frustrated," Laurence said, "It happens on long voyages when in close quarters."

"I suppose," Granby said sullenly.

"You've been worried over his absence for the past week," Laurence said, "Aren't you glad he's come back?"

"Ah…" Granby said, "He was angry when he left and now he is curt."

"Leave him be," Laurence said, "Tharkay is a creature who values his freedom and his mystery, I think. I'm sure what you're perceiving as a slight against you is nothing more than your own frustrations at being in such close proximity to each other."

Granby felt a blush creep over his face and kept his head down determinedly. Laurence was already moving away and chuckling to himself. Granby was hugging the railing now staring at the frothing wake as the ship cleaved through the water.

Was he so obvious? Granby cursed himself silently and continued to stare at the water until Laurence put a hand on his shoulder and silently bid him turn around.

Granby turned and looked at Laurence with trepidation tearing at his gut. Laurence held up a book and smiled grimly, not noticing Granby's anxiety.

"This one is about gemstones," Laurence said, "I can't finish a page of it without dozing off. Perhaps it will do the same for you."

Granby let out a combination exhalation and laugh in his relief and Laurence raised an eyebrow at his incongruous reaction.

"John, I didn't know you cared so much for reading," Laurence said, "Certainly you should have asked me for one much sooner."

"I—," Granby smiled and took the proffered book, "I hadn't thought of it neither."

"Well," Laurence said and started walking toward the Marines watching him at the steps leading up to the deck, "Have a good night, Captain Granby."

"Good night, Cap—Laurence," Granby said.

"Jones! Andrews!" Laurence said, "Shall we go down?"

Granby thumbed through the book and didn't hear the muttered reply from the marines. He watched the three men descend onto the main deck and the marines led Laurence unceremoniously below decks. Iskierka nosed at him sleepily.

"You should sleep, darling," Granby said.

"You are upset Granby," Iskierka said, "Are you well?"

"I am," Granby said, "You should go to sleep."

"Temeraire said he's going first tomorrow," Iskierka said laying her head on the deck. She sighed heavily and a wave of heated air rolled over him. Granby sat beside her and stroked her muzzle until the great bellows of her lungs beat slow and rhythmically, the steady rush of dragon sleep. Granby got up and returned to the cabin.

Tharkay was invisible in the dark room save for the dip in the hammock, revealing a weight inside it rather than an empty cloth. Granby walked to the porthole and stared out for a moment. The breeze was light and not unpleasant, still he thought about closing it and changed his mind after a glance at the other hammock.

Granby's hammock was strung up higher than Tharkay's, as he was much taller and had no problem climbing in and out of a higher placed hammock. It also gave him a better vantage of the room and he could see the bundle of blankets that was Tharkay, still and silent. Granby thumbed the book in his hand. It was too dark to read, and he doubted if he would ever read the thing at all. Eventually Granby shoved the book under his pillow and stared up at the overhead until the moon rose and filled the small cabin with a ghostly light.

Granby started to doze thinking about what Laurence had said and whether he meant it in any other way. Granby wondered if Tharkay had said anything to Laurence. It had been difficult enough explaining it all to Iskierka, and he didn't want to risk losing Laurence's friendship. Whatever they said, Laurence was a better than what he'd been given. Perhaps there would be adventure in the Colony.

Tharkay murmured in his sleep and started to cough. Granby was startled out of his half-sleep. When the coughing continued, growing more ragged and hacking Granby sat up.

"Tharkay?" Granby called but Tharkay didn't reply and only managed to stifle his cough for a minute before it started up again. Granby slid out of his hammock and felt around the dark cabin for his canteen—he must've left it on the dragon deck. Granby slid over to Tharkay's side of the room and felt through the other man's things until he found the canteen.

"Here," Granby whispered, "Water."

Tharkay's fingers appeared from the shadowy bundle of blanket and grabbed the canteen and Granby's fingers. He drank a little and spilled some onto his shoulder. Granby pulled away and capped the bottle and tucked it into the hammock with Tharkay. Tharkay had rolled himself back into his blankets and all Granby could see of him was his forehead and the mass of dark hair. Granby stared at the forehead for a moment and then put out his fingers to touch him. Tharkay didn't react but Granby was startled at the heat.

"Tharkay?" Granby said barely above a whisper. Tharkay didn't answer and Granby said his name again.

"What!" Tharkay said, his voice gravelly and his tone irritable. His voice came out much like the growling of a caged dog. Granby stepped back and startled when he walked into the bulkhead.

"You're very sick indeed," Granby said.

Tharkay pulled his face out of the blankets and glared at Granby. His eyes were like inky slits in a face made pale by the moonlight.

"What are you doing here?" Tharkay said, realizing that Granby had somehow managed to fit himself in the small space between the hammock and the bulkhead.

"I brought you water," Granby said.

"Oh," Tharkay said and took the canteen in his hand and turned over so that his back was to Granby. Granby frowned until a muffled "thank you" flitted his direction. Granby ducked under Tharkay's hammock and climbed back into his own.

Granby tossed and turned for what felt like hours and the moonlight faded and then disappeared and all was dark again. Sometimes he could hear Tharkay cough, but mostly it was quiet. Granby was dozing lightly as the sky outside grayed into morning and Tharkay rolled unsteadily out of his hammock with none of his characteristic grace. Tharkay did not acknowledge him at all when he left the cabin barefoot and with one of the blankets still draped over his shoulders.

Granby frowned. He pulled out the book with a sigh and thumbed through it, only to drop it again when heard voices outside the cabin door. Tharkay came back in looking worse even than he had the night before. Riley said something to his back before he closed the cabin door.

"Where'd you go?" Granby said and Tharkay glared at him before turning to climb stiffly into his hammock.

"Head," Tharkay said.

"Captain Riley—" Granby started to ask but Tharkay cut him off sharply.

"He's sending the ship's surgeon," Tharkay said. Tharkay sat in the hammock one leg dangling. His shoulders were slumped and his hair stood up in all directions.

"Oh," Granby said and he held the book up to his face again.

Tharkay shifted in his hammock and lay down, disappearing again within his blankets. Granby kept his nose in the book but he couldn't help watching Tharkay, casting a sidelong glance in his direction. Tharkay lay quiet and still.

Granby shot up at a sharp rap on the door. It was Mr. Pollit and a boy of about thirteen, they'd let themselves in. Granby dropped down belatedly and greeted them.

"Is that him?" Mr. Pollit asked meekly.

"Tharkay," Granby said, "wake up. The surgeon is here."

Tharkay made a noise under his blankets but did not stir. Granby took up the edge of the hammock and shook it, "Wake up," he said.

Tharkay sat up slowly and rubbed his eyes with his knuckles, and Granby, not wanting to interfere went to stare out of the porthole. He hadn't slept well and he worried that he might be too tired to fly, and that he couldn't deny Iskierka either way, and she might fly off with him again.

The surgeon was speaking softly to Tharkay, and his responses were low and gravely. Granby stole a worried glance in their direction. Tharkay and Pollit were of like height though Tharkay was lean and gracile in figure, and hunched in his illness, he seemed diminished and fragile standing in front of the stouter surgeon. His mussed dark hair shook as he nodded in response to the surgeon's question.

Granby swallowed guiltily, feeling like a voyeur again, and then he turned back to look through the window. He didn't see Pollit approach until the man put a hand on his arm.

"How do you feel?" the surgeon asked.

"Well," Granby said, "I'm a bit tired, as I haven't slept very well on account of that one." Granby nodded in Tharkay's direction, "Do you know what's wrong with him?"

"Some manner of ague," Pollit said then he shrugged, "I'm a surgeon, not a doctor."

Granby frowned, "Will he get well?"

"I don't see why not," Pollit said, "Make sure he eats and drinks. Something warm if you can manage it. But you don't feel anything?"

"No," Granby frowned again, "Should I be worried?"

"We'll have to wait and see," Pollit said, "But I wouldn't want to risk the safety of the ship. I think it would be better if you stayed in your cabin until—"

"I cannot!" Granby shouted and Mr. Pollit stepped back from him, "I have a dragon—the red one—she'll get angry if—you can't be serious!"

"Now calm down Captain," Mr. Pollit said, "If you're still well in a few days we can let you out. But I can't have half the ship laying about with this ague—not this far out—"

"Let me talk to Captain Riley, sir. I'm very well, I assure you. If this is some manner of contagion, I fear you might be condemning me to this fate far too early—"

"Captain Granby," Pollit said, "I'm sure the next few days will pass quickly. I will be by to check on you later."

Granby glared at the man's back as he departed. He waited several minutes before exiting the cabin and mounting the dragon deck.

Laurence glared when Granby appeared, shocked at the state of him. Laurence was halfway into his harness and Temeraire already had his front claws on the railing, waiting for Laurence to mount so they could depart. The look of scandal and reproach on Laurence's face made Granby realize he'd come up without his coat and no neck cloth.

"Granby," Laurence said, somehow expressing all of his disappointment in that single word.

"Laurence you will not believe it," Granby said loudly and he waved his arms for good measure, "But I have been quarantined!"

Laurence backed away from him. Iskierka peeked curiously out at Granby.

"What is a quarantine?"

"It is what you do when there is contagion. You have to isolate the sick ones," Temeraire said, "Laurence, please don't stand so close to Granby."

"Are you sick Granby?" Iskierka said.

"Not at all," Granby said, "But Tharkay is half-dead and no use to man or beast—tell me why do these things always happen to me?"

"If you're to be quarantined," Laurence said, "Then what are you doing up here? You put the whole crew at risk."

"I am perfectly well," Granby asserted, "and I prefer to stay that way. Whatever Tharkay has does not seem pleasant in the least."

"You shouldn't have come up here," Laurence said.

"But I cannot be confined to—"

"You very well can be, if the safety of this ship depends on it," Laurence said loudly.

After several moments of stunned silence, Iskierka said, "Why should Granby be quarined when he is well?"

"It's qua-RAN-TINE," Temeraire said, "It is important indeed. Granby has been exposed to the illness. You cannot understand because you didn't have friends that were ill with the Dragon Plague. Come away from him Laurence, he does have a scent of miasma about him."

Temeraire plucked Laurence from the deck and put him on his shoulder.

"I'm sorry Granby," Laurence said, "You'd best get back to your cabin."

"But I—" Granby protested.

"Granby if you'd stop acting the scoundrel and do what you've been told you'd have half the problems you're having right now!" Laurence shouted again. Granby felt his words like a slap to his face. He glared at Laurence, blushing full on. Not even Iskierka had any retort.

* * *

**A/N:** _Yay! Another chapter!_

_More Granby abuse—poor Granby! I lied, I'm giving Tharkay the next chapter and Laurence the one after that._

_Please R&R! (But if you don't that's cool too—you are the only one reading this besides myself…)_


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